38 WILD LIFE AND THE CAMERA 



they headed down stream, far below where I was 

 until suddenly, without any apparent reason, they 

 turned and came straight toward me. The sun 

 was still so low that the fir trees cast a shadow far 

 across the river, but as that could not be helped, I 

 had to make the best of it. The herd landed about 

 forty feet from me and I made two exposures 

 before they realised what was happening. Then 

 what a scattering there was ! Mud flew in all 

 directions and many rushed past, only a few 

 feet away. After this I crossed the river to the 

 sun-lit side ; putting the canoe behind a partly sub- 

 merged log, I waited, and pretty soon a doe and 

 fawn came down the bank and, entering the river, 

 swam across without seeing me. Soon another 

 pair posed for me. Then a little later there was 

 a great commotion as a large herd came crashing 

 down the bank through the thick fringe of trees. 

 Now the question was when to take the picture. 

 Of course, I wanted a big stag as the centre of the 

 picture. Does and small stags came in abundance, 

 and finally I thought the last had come, and even 

 though it was only a doe I pressed the button as 

 she rushed down the bank. No sooner had I done 

 this than an immense stag came immediately 

 behind her, hesitated a moment in a perfect 

 position, looking directly at me, but before I could 

 re-set the shut, he had scrambled up the bank 

 and disappeared. For the rest of the day I had no 

 further luck. Many Caribou crossed the river, but 

 all went below or above where I happened to be. 

 Nevertheless, the day has been one of great interest. 

 It is seldom that one has a chance to see so many 



