io8 THE WILDERNESS OF THE UPPER YUKON 



as he moved his head, I could make out the tops of his 

 horns, then hardly distinguishable from the brush be- 

 cause of the strips of velvet still hanging on them. We 

 waited with keen interest for Selous to come in sight. 

 He had started in a circular course to approach the 

 moose against the wind, which was blowing up the brook. 

 He finally appeared and began to approach with the 

 utmost caution, advancing in a straight line toward the 

 exact spot where the moose was resting. Selous was too 

 experienced to have neglected to mark a tall tree near 

 which the moose was standing when he started, so that 

 he could find the place after circling through the woods. 

 Finally, coming nearer, he advanced step by step to 

 within thirty feet and stood looking. Louis whispered: 

 "Now you see moose jump and run!" But I saw Selous 

 approach a few steps, bend forward, put up his rifle and 

 fire. He immediately shouted, and knowing the moose 

 was dead we hurried to the spot. Selous had suspected 

 that the moose was lying down, and at last had seen the 

 tips of its horns. A step or two nearer brought the head 

 and neck of the unsuspecting bull in sight, and the 

 bullet was delivered at the base of the brain. It was 

 a large old bull, with broad, flat horns, well palmated, 

 spreading fifty-seven inches an unusually fine trophy. 



That was our introduction to a camp soon made near 

 the carcass. We had brought only a large piece of can- 

 vas, and when poles had been cut and inclined against 

 a cross-pole, it was thrown over them. Spruce bows 

 were strewn beneath it and the shelter was complete. A 

 big fire was started; the packs were opened; their con- 



