2IO BIG GAME SHOOTIXG IN ALASKA chap. 



disappearing behind a tree, and fired at once. Result, bullet 

 planted well into the tree. This started the hunt again, and 

 off we went at full speed, following the wounded beast partly 

 by sound and partly by tracks, blundering over fallen trees, 

 splashing through deep soft places covered with moss under 

 which lay yielding mud and slush, tearing the skin off our 

 hands and faces as we raced through the thick scrub in 

 which the small twigs kept flying back and hitting us 

 viciously in the face. Verily, it was a merry chase. My 

 progress was, I regret to say, punctuated here and there 

 with short halts to get my wind, and expend some of it in 

 swearing at the bushes, trees, and everything which seemed 

 to combine to annoy us and retard our progress. To make 

 matters worse, I caught a glimpse of the moose moving 

 through the trees ahead of us, just as I was hung up by the 

 legs and arms in a more than usually thick place. Nothing 

 daunted, I let go two more bullets after him, and we found 

 eventually that one of these had passed through the fleshy 

 part of his neck. But the end was approaching, and soon 

 the poor brute, which must have been suffering intensely 

 with its broken hind-leg, lay down in a thick cover. Here 

 we ran almost on top of him, and Ivan, jumping behind a 

 tree as he stood up and faced us, shouted, " Shoot quick." 

 I must confess I should like to have had the chance over 

 again, when I would have delayed shooting a little, to see 

 if he would charge us, as the moose is reported to do when 

 wounded and cornered. But since we had at last " brought 

 him to bay" (which I take it is not exactly what Mr. Stone 

 meant when using this term), I thought it best to plant a 

 bullet in his shoulder ; and so ended what will ever be to 

 me a memorable chase, entirely brought on by a disgracefully 

 bad shot in the first instance. He was a very large animal 



