MOOSE-HUNTING IX THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 37 



feet above the sea. I could now turn one way and reach 

 the camp again in an hour, or I could turn the other, face 

 the gale, and probably find a Moose. 



I decided to continue the hunt. The high mountain 

 where I stood was without timber, but on the little plateau a 

 mile away was a dense growth of willows and small quaking 

 aspen trees. It was an ideal wintering-ground for a Moose. 

 I could risk a run of a mile or two, even in a blizzard; so I 

 took a cautious turn through the wind-tossed and sighing, 

 leafless little trees. One mile, then two, were covered, and 

 no game to encourage me; but just as I passed the point I 

 had fixed for the place to turn back, I found a Moose-trail. 



Of course, I knew the next depression and the next 

 clump of bushes was the hiding-place of the game; so I 

 sped on and on. At last I routed a lone Moose, and the 

 direction he took was favorable to my early return to camp 

 should I choose to abandon the chase. . After a turn over 

 the bleak divide, I saw the animal going on that deceptive 

 swinging trot, but he was making for the low land and the 

 river. There was a favorable incline for a snow-shoe run 

 that no horse could equal for speed. I was confident that I 

 could run near enough to shoot the Moose, even if the snow 

 Avas not deep enough to interfere with his Maud S. gait. 

 I was successful in cutting off his course toward the woods 

 and in turning him down the hill, 



I nerved myself for a terrific run, and determined, if 

 possible, to approach near enough to shoot the big brute 

 while at full speed. The mark was large, and I was armed 

 with a good repeating- rifie. In ten seconds I could shoot 

 four or five bullets into vital parts of such a large animal. 

 I made the run, with the wind against me, and after the 

 greatest effort came up to the side of the frightened Moose, 

 but, to my great consternation, found that I could not shoot. 

 I could not even let go of my pole, for I was unable to stand, 

 so the Moose gained the valley, and before I could steady 

 myself to shoot he was far out of range. I do not believe 

 a horse could have run as fast as that Moose ran across 

 that valley to the timber along the river. 



