IN THE FAR WEST. 213 



and Montana, where it is still quite numerous, sportsmen who 

 are strangers in these countries must take guides and camping 

 outfits with them, and if they do not slay dozens of moose 

 they will at least have the pleasure of beholding some of the 

 wildest and grandest scenery on the continent. 



On one of my moose-hunting excursions I accompanied a 

 rancher who seemed to devote as much attention to the chase 

 as to farming, and an Indian who did odd jobs about his 

 place. This trusty retainer had the usual antipathy of his 

 race to continuous labour, so I have a suspicion that he was 

 kept more for his fondness of the chase than for any other 

 reason. He was also an excellent shot, a close observer of the 

 haunts and habits of animals, and could skin them as rapidly 

 and cleanly as the most expert butcher, while he was deemed 

 unrivalled as a cuver of their hides and as a maker of beaded 

 moccasins. 



Reaching a position in the dense forest where " signs " 

 were numerous, we selected the shade of a large fir-tree as a 

 site for a primitive camp; built a fire there; and, after supper, 

 devoted ourselves to puffing tobacco smoke until the moon 

 began to creep from under a mass of clouds. This was the 

 signal for us to commence operations, so we loaded our rifles, 

 and the Indian taking a light axe and a hunting-knife with 

 him, we marched about a mile from camp. We could hear at 

 intervals, as we advanced, the short, guttural sounds of 

 the bulls, and the wild, prolonged roar or call of the cows. 

 When we reached a good position, where the undergrowth 

 was heavy and the space in front open, the hunter and myself 

 sought shelter in the shrubbery close together, while the 

 Indian climbed a tree; and as soon as lie was comfortably 

 seated on a branch he commenced calling with such exactitude 

 that I could only tell his cry from that of a cow by its proxi- 

 mity. After waiting patiently for half an hour we heard his 

 summons answered by deep grumblings from two directions 

 close by; and on hearing those he lowered his call, making it 

 deep and subdued, as if the female were in a most loving frame 

 of mind, and this was repeated three or four times in different 

 kevs, being now loud, fierce and emphatic, anon sinking into 



