THE CARIBOU. 201 



Lis belly, and ilie hoofs of the caribou had only 

 wounded him slightly in the shoulder. Mr. Howard 

 had by this time reloaded his rifle, but tlie powder 

 had been damped by the suow-water and refused to 

 burn. 



At last the caribou succeeded in throwing off Jack, 

 and dashed at once upon Moniii. The Red Skin 

 noAV seized him by the horns, and a terrible struggle 

 commenced, Jack managing once more to fix his 

 teeth in the neck of the caribou. In a moment, 

 however, Mr. Howard rushed up with his knife in 

 hand, and plunged it up to the hilt in the breast of 

 the colossal brute. With a last effort the caribou 

 tossed Moniii up into the air, and gave up the ghost 

 with a terrific bellow. 



I must confess that whilst this struggle was going 

 on I was seized with too much terror to be able to 

 render any assistance. I had not even the presence 

 of mind sufficient to put on my snow-shoes and 

 reload my gun. Let not those of my brethren in 

 St. Hubert who have never found themselves half 

 buried in snow, with the antlers of a wild caribou 

 menacing them with almost certain death, judge me 

 too severely. 



At last, we could approach the king of the back- 

 Avoods, now lying dead at our feet. Mr. Howard's 

 ball had penetrated below the shoulder, so that he 

 must ultimately have died of that wound. 



" But," cried Mr. Howard to Moniii, who was 



