THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE; 



time he is dangerous and savage in the extreme, and will 

 even attack a man when provoked, if he cross his path in 

 his moments of wanton dalliance. 



" If he discovers then the hunter who is luring him by 

 playing with his tenderest passions, he will charge him on 

 the instant, fearless ; and woe betide the luckless wight 

 whose hand trembles in the aim, or whose rifle misses fire 

 at that crisis. A bull moose seventeen or eighteen hands 

 in height, with antlers of six feet spread, and hoof as big 

 as an ox's, the edges of which cut like a sabre, and which 

 he can handle as deftly as a prize-fighter, is anything but a 

 pleasant customer at close quarters." 



This statement, however, failed to carry conviction to 

 the captain's mind, and his reply was that he had never 

 heard this moose-calling, although he had spent much time 

 in these forests. In answer to this statement I merely 

 called his attention to the fact that he had only been ac- 

 quainted with the moose ten or twelve years, since they 

 were not previously found in this section of Canada ; and 

 that, even according to his own admissions, he had never 

 spent any time in the moose country during their rutting 

 season. " This is all very true," replied the captain. " I 

 shall now keep my ears open, and if I hear these bulls 

 bellowing, then I shall be prepared to admit the truth of 

 the statement made in the book." He had only a short 

 time to wait, since the next move brought us fairly into 

 the moose country, and while we were still pushing for- 

 ward on the portage, having scarcely yet reached the 

 Sportsman's Paradise, the loud bellowing of a bull moose 

 was distinctly heard by our whole party. The captain 



