240 THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE; 



the day. About half-past four o'clock I started out to 

 look after the bear ; found the moose-carcass ; saw a pine- 

 marten in the act of leaving it ; he climbed a tree ; I shot 

 him and then returned to camp. The bear has not visited 

 the dead moose since the heavy snow-storm that com- 

 menced early Tuesday morning. The captain has not yet 

 returned to camp, although it is now rapidly becoming 

 dark. I spent an hour in procuring a supply of wood for 

 our fire, which we are compelled to keep burning all 

 night. I was doomed to spend the night in a miserable 

 hut without a companion, since the captain did not return 

 until about ten o'clock Saturday morning. He brought 

 with him two companions to assist in transferring our 

 luggage to Harkness's Clearings. 



Prior to our start he cooked some moose-meat, and we 

 all partook of the hastily-prepared lunch, and then promptly 

 commenced the homeward journey. The hunt was ended, 

 but in leaving the forest we saw many fresh moose-tracks. 

 The game was evidently moving about in a lively fashion 

 this morning, but we were not inclined to spend any more 

 time in the chase. 



The captain readily explained his absence from the 

 camp on the preceding night by informing me that the 

 trail which he had taken up soon after our separation on 

 the previous morning was the same that I had followed 

 so industriously the day that he had killed the bull moose 

 near our present encampment. This trail finally brought 

 him within a few miles of Harkness's cabin ; and, inasmuch 

 as it was then about sunset, he concluded to take lodging 

 with his old friend and return to me the next morning. 



