244 HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



trees we were for a long time unsuccessful. Then sud- 

 denly one stood up and the other followed him; both 

 took fright and ran off. 



As we returned homeward a pair of moose standing 

 partly concealed by a large tree attracted our attention 

 and we approached them very closely. From the horn 

 which projected on one side of the tree it was evident 

 that the antlers had a wide spread. Estimating the total 

 span of the two ears when stretched out straight from the 

 head to be thirty inches from side to side, it looked as if 

 the horns would run as much as seventy inches. The 

 other animal was nothing like the average. As we ap- 

 proached closer without giving fright to them, Bill was 

 certain that something w^as amiss. ''He can't be any 

 good if he lets us come so near," said the guide. "By the 

 way, what's that across his forehead? It looks like the 

 bough of a tree." We got within twenty yards of the 

 two animals, screening ourselves behind some standing 

 spruces. Then we discovered that one antler of the 

 wide-spreading head had been broken off short. The 

 Umb of a tree had become entangled in the horns of the 

 other side and wedged across the moose's forehead so 

 that he could not get it loose. We stepped into plain 

 view and both moose, much surprised, looked at us for a 

 moment, then turned and fled. 



Tracks of bears, foxes, weasels and porcupines were 

 numerous in this part of the country and we found one 

 of the last in a tree. Bill always poked the porcupines 

 with his walking stick, at which they flicked the tail up 

 angrily trying to fill him with quills. The porcupine 

 excited the hatred of all of the guides because of his habit 

 of eating up cabins, and sticking dogs' mouths full of 

 spines. 



