2 1 6 Caribou - Hunting. 



A caribou, if not mortally wounded, will endeavor to keep up 

 with the herd, and will travel a long- way without giving out. If 

 near the sea-coast, the wounded animal seeks it to die, and so is 

 often found by the hunter. In such cases the skill of the Indian 

 again comes in play, and he will follow the track of the wounded 

 animal, readily picking it out from all the others, and seldom failing 

 to run it down. The Indians say that the caribou likes to feed on 

 sea-weed, and goes to the coast in the spring and fall of the year 

 for that purpose. 



Once upon a time, not so long ago as when "little birds built 

 their nests in old men's beards," but quite long enough to make one 

 regret the days when caribou were plenty on all the barrens in 

 Charlotte County, New Brunswick, the writer, in company with his 

 Indian friend Sebatis and an old Indian named Tomah, traveled all 

 day in pursuit of a herd of caribou, and after losing much time lying 

 in ambush, behind a big bowlder, were suddenly overtaken by night- 

 fall, which, in the short November days, shuts down without warning. 



" How far to camp, Sebatis ? " I inquired. 



"Well, s'pose daylight, about five miles; but so dark now, you 

 see, makes it good deal further." 



" Can you find the camp ? " 



" Find 'im camp ? Sartin ; but take good while, so dark, can't 

 see nothin' 't all ; tumble down good deal, you see, so many win'falls ; 

 then may be get in swamp besides." 



Had daylight given us the opportunity of selecting a camping- 

 place, we could not have found a spot better suited to our purpose 

 than the grove of grand old firs and hemlocks that hemmed us in on 

 every side and sheltered us with broad, spreading branches. In front 

 we had a forest lake ; on the outskirts of our stronghold a plentiful 

 supply of hard wood stood ready for the axe which Tomah was just 

 releasing from its cover of leather. 



The darkness and silence of these old woods were appalling, and 

 as I stood leaning on the old tree against which we had stacked 

 our rifles, I gladly welcomed the quick strokes of Tomah's axe, that 

 was already dealing death-blows to the birches and maples. 



Sebatis had gone off in search of dry wood to start the fire. I 

 had not heard him return, and was watching a curious object moving 

 about in the gloom with something like the actions of a bear. Pres- 



