ON THE GANDER RIVER. 191 



The method of hunting is naturally altered to suit the 

 circumstances. The first step is to locate a shootable beast, 

 then to watch and wait for his appearance, for at this period 

 the stags usually pass the day in the thickets, only wander- 

 ing out of their shelter by chance, or to bask in the sun, or 

 to drink. Next, a caribou in thick timber is by no means 

 so easy a quarry as he frequently proves after he takes to 

 the open. And lastly, the conditions of woodland hunting 

 often leave but a very brief instant for judging of the head 

 and shooting. Besides, it is obvious that the hunter's oppor- 

 tunities will probably fall far short, as far as numbers go, 

 of the chances in October, when the deer are collected to- 

 gether about and upon the line of migration. 



Having made up my mind to try a September trip, I 

 left England early in August, as I wished to have some 

 fishing before the commencement of the shooting-season, 

 for which my friend A. C. Gathorne-Hardy had agreed to 

 join me. Only three years had elapsed since my first visit 

 to Newfoundland, but on reaching my old ground of Terra 

 Nova Lake I found evidences of a great change. In 1903 

 the influx of " sports " had been insignificant ; in 1906 it 

 had increased, though even then it had not attained to any- 

 thing like its present magnitude. The "opening up" of 

 Newfoundland came suddenly and swiftly, and was aided 

 by an enterprising native taxidermist who had then begun 

 to organise, and I believe still continues to organise, little 

 armies of sportsmen at $200 a head, all found ! 



On my former visit when I travelled up the Terra Nova 

 Lake I had had the country to myself, but in August 1906, 

 while camped with my mother on Woody Island by the 

 Narrows, which form the highroad to the interior, I saw, 

 with regretful yet not altogether selfish eyes, five parties 

 of " sports " pass away into my old hunting-ground. 



At the time I made my camp upon Woody Island I 

 had not come to any decision as to where I should hunt 



