

ELG IN JEOPARDY. 387 



the labour undergone during the few preceding days. But 

 not liking to throw away a chance, Elg was directed to take 

 the lead, and continue the pursuit at his best pace, whilst I 

 followed at my leisure. 



Not long after our separation, I was rejoiced to hear a shot 

 in advance, and the dogs giving tongue loudly, whence I knew 

 he had come up with the bears, and, as I trusted, had given 

 a good account of one or other of them. I therefore made 

 the most speed possible, in the hope of rendering him 

 assistance. Soon, however, it was all but dark, and the 

 icks, as well of Elg as the bears, undiscernible ; and as the 

 logs no longer challenged as heretofore, I was consequently 

 just as likely to take the wrong as the right direction. This 

 ?ing the case, I deemed it best to halt and to fire a shot as 

 signal that I was out of my latitude. But all endeavours 

 discharge my gun were unavailing. It had recently been 

 converted by a bungler from a flint to a detonator, and the 

 )lugs so badly fitted to the breech, that the powder found 

 rent at the junction, and as a matter of course, the snow, 

 lelted by the heat of my person, had gained admittance 

 ito the chambers. I was soon, however, relieved from my 

 disagreeable position, by hearing the shouts of Elg in the 

 distance, and in the course of a few minutes again joined 

 company with him. 



He, it appeared, had been in considerable jeopardy. 

 Sighting the bears in a small opening in the forest, at forty 

 fifty paces' distance, he attempted to shoot the old one, 

 mt very unfortunately his rifle missed fire. On hearing the 

 explosion of the cap, the beast headed about in a rage, 

 and charged to within three or four paces of him ; but 

 happily she did not proceed to extremities, for daunted by 



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