184 HUNTING CAMPS. 



From the moment when we first heard the bull moose 

 onwards the drama enthralled us, especially when a 

 second actor, or, if you prefer it, the feminine interest, 

 entered upon the scene. It has been said that the bull 

 moose is monogamous, but this is certainly not the case, 

 and on that night we had very good proof that he is 

 not altogether constant. For presently from some- 

 where in the woods a cow called and the bull answered. 

 Ed was much upset at this rivalry. " How can I get 

 him away from her ? " said he ; " but I'll try." 



Try he did, though it was slow work, the bull some- 

 times coming towards us at quite a fair pace, but at 

 others wandering back. As he came closer Ed and 

 I got into the canoe. We sat there for what seemed 

 a hopelessly long time, until at last we heard the bull 

 enter the water about a quarter of a mile away on 

 the farther side of the lake. Ed did not dare to call 

 now, but filling the bark-horn with water let it trickle 

 into the lake through the narrow end of the horn. 

 The bull almost at once began to work his way round 

 by the head of the lake, which was lucky, as had he 

 taken the other direction he must have winded us. He 

 had about six or seven hundred yards to travel, and 

 had not, as far as our ears could tell us for of course 

 we could see nothing covered half the distance when 

 the deserted cow also entered the water a little lower 

 down. 



Now the two huge animals began to answer each 

 other, while we, being by this time out on the bosom 

 of the lake, listened to their matrimonial differences. 

 We put into shore and again poured water through the 

 horn to attract the bull's attention, after which we 

 heard him approaching steadily, and paddled noiselessly 



