146 THE BARREN-GROUND CARIBOU 



end, and to look about wonderingly. The wind 

 was from the north, hence their inclination was 

 to get beyond the fence across the lake, but each 

 time they " funked " crossing between those harm- 

 less bits of spruce. Twice the buck that was the 

 leader came half the distance forward to the 

 narrows only to turn back again to the north- 

 west, and mingle with the others in frightened 

 bewilderment. Finally the buck made up his 

 mind, and came for the narrows at a long-reach- 

 ing trot, neck outstretched, head up and horns 

 lying back over the shoulders. Without a halt 

 he came right on, and I allowed him to pass un- 

 molested — he was well ahead of the others — 

 then made some exposures of the following line 

 of does and fawns that filed past the hide. They 

 were fine fat deer, Philip decided, after they 

 were past — he had, in his keenness, come quietly 

 beside me to watch also — and he ran back to 

 camp for my rifle to shoot at them, but luckily 

 they were gone ere he returned and he couldn't 

 spoil, by the noise of shooting, what chance 

 there might be of other animals approaching. 

 However, it was then getting late, and the light 

 was failing, and we were on the point of leaving off 

 for the day, when Philip, who had been moving 

 around the shore a little way, came to tell me 

 that a single fawn was approaching. This 

 animal walked all along the fence, smelling the 

 ground where the others had previously passed, 

 and uncertain where to go. Finally it got on the 

 fresh track leading to the narrows and came 

 ahead quickly. As the animal passed I made 

 two exposures, though the light was by then very 



