THE CARIBOO. 117 



der ur them ? I guess the half o' 'em orter choke arey 

 a cariboo as I've seed ! " 



The young hunters laughed, and without further 

 notice Pierre continued : 



" In Nova Scotia, where the cariboo attains its most 

 southerly limit, it has been seen at Cape Sable, in lati- 

 tude 43 30' ; but owing to ceaseless persecution it is 

 now becoming scarce in that province, which a few 

 years since was noted for its abundance. In the neigh- 

 bouring province of New Brunswick it is still tolerably 

 plentiful ; and in the extensive forests of that country 

 I hope it will long survive the continual attacks made 

 upon it, both by Indians, settlers, lumberers, and wan- 

 dering sportsmen. The headquarters, however, of this 

 animal lie on the north side of the St. Lawrence, where 

 from the basin of that river, far to the north, stretches 

 a dense forest-covered wilderness of vast extent, which 

 probably for centuries yet will defy the encroach- 

 ments of man. To the west of Lake Superior, and 

 following the line of the woods, its range trends towards 

 the Mackenzie Valley, and, crossing the Eocky Moun- 

 tains, includes the American Territory of Alaska. That 

 good sportsman and naturalist, Mr. Lord, states that it 

 exists on several ranges of hills in British Columbia. 

 What a vast number of the human race have their 

 wants supplied by this noble deer! The Lapps use 

 him as a beast of burden ; they feed upon his flesh and 

 clothe themselves with his hide. Their rope and string 

 are manufactured from his sinews ; the hind furnishes 



