IN THE LAND OF THE GREAT SPIRIT 147 



made him uneasy, for he could not listen well. We j 

 dared not go straight on, or we should soon have j 

 had him on our flank and all would have been up. ( 



Excepting the fact that the growth was very thick, 

 nothing could well have been worse for us. For over 

 large areas here and there the bush had been broken 

 down some time, and lay, so to say, a thick stratum of 

 " spelicans." Through this we had to pick our way, 

 lifting at each step the foot over some obstructing 

 bough and feeling carefully down among the dry 

 branches against any twig that might be lying in the 

 moss, before one dared to trust one's weight on some- 

 thing that might snap. At this game the Cree sur- • '^^ 

 passed me altogether. Over and over again he forged 

 ahead and disappeared from view. We never saw 

 the bull, but for five hours by my watch this game — - 



of hide-and-seek went on. And then at last the 

 moose seemed satisfied and began to draw straight 

 on. And now the wind, blowing half a gale, was all 

 in our favour, for we were out again in open country, 

 only kinikinik and willow patches here and there and 

 the rest all bog and grass. Right on through the 

 - willows the moose had passed, feeding on the young 

 shoots as he went. Presently we passed through a 

 belt of larches, and there lay before us a flat open tract 



k 



