FOREST SPORTS. 199 



ness of his neck, and the length of his legs, clearly indicate. On 

 open plains he could scarcely exist, and his favorite haunts — to 

 which is due his existence at the present moment — are the depths 

 of forests and woodland morasses, which probably never will be 

 cleared, owing to the severity of the climate, and the sterility 

 of the soil. 



The most southerly and westward point, at which this noble 

 specimen of the Deer tribe is now known to exist, is that singu- 

 lar district, to which I have before alluded, composed entirely of 

 an aggeries of mountains, rock-ribbed, and forest-girdled, inter- 

 spersed with a perfect net-work of lakes, rivers, and morasses, 

 lying between Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the St. Law- 

 rence, and the Black River. 



Here it still breeds, and yards in winter ; here it is yet killed 

 by the hunters, and by the few Indians who yet linger in that 

 region, or visit it from Canada during the season of deep snows, 

 for the purpose ; and here it may still be found, especially in 

 the vicinity of the Racquet Lake and River, at the latter season, 

 if I may rely on the authority of my friend, Charles F. Hoff- 

 man, one of the first explorers of that romantic region, and one 

 of the most enthusiastic of American woodmen, who has sung 

 in his beautiful poem " Kachesco," that in Lake Incapahoo — 



" For fish and deer at either end, 

 The rifts are good ; but run-ways more 

 There are by crooked Killoquore. 

 And Racquet at the time of spearing. 

 As well as that for yarding Moose, 

 Hath both enough for hunters' use." 



Eastward of this wild and romantic tract, the hunters' terres- 

 trial paradise, it will scarcely be found south of the Canada line, 

 until we reach the Dead River, famous for Arnold's winter 

 march against Quebec, and the vicinity of Moosehead Lake, in 

 Maine ; though it is possible that a few may occasionally cross 

 the Lines from the Eastern Townships of Lower Canada, about 

 Lake Memphramagog, where it is still abundant, into the nor- 

 thern parts of Vermont and New Hampshire. In the northern 

 parts of Maine, what was formerly called the disputed territory. 



