OR, THE LAKE LANDS OF CANADA. 227 



tion to come back to his food seems to increase with every 

 repetition which he makes for this purpose until the sup- 

 ply is exhausted. It then seemed entirely reasonable for 

 us to presume in this case that our game would return to 

 his old haunts under the promptings of hunger; inasmuch 

 as the food-supply in this region was extremely limited at 

 this time. We, therefore, concluded it was better to make 

 no further effort to follow bruin, but to return at an early 

 day and establish a watch on his pathway leading from the 

 brook to the dead moose. 



In accordance with this resolution we soon started on 

 our return to Camp Lake, where we arrived before night- 

 fall ; found Mr. Mildenberger and George Ross seated near 

 the camp-fire in the full enjoyment of their freedom from 

 toil, recalling their past sports and contemplating new 

 pleasures to be gleaned from the chase in the near future. 

 It was the intention of the captain and myself, when we 

 reached here to-day, to provide ourselves with food enough 

 to last four or five days, and such other articles as might 

 be required during our intended sojourn in the vicinity of 

 old bruin's food-supply, and return to the spot to-morrow 

 morning ; but in this instance it was not many hours be- 

 fore we fully appreciated the fact that 



"The best laid schemes o' mice an' men 



Gang aft a-gley, 



An' lea'e us nought but grief and pain 

 For promised joy." 



It was observed during the early part of the evening 

 that the moon shone with peculiar brightness ; but before 



