194 HUNTING CAMPS. 



that only a stump remained. The brows were very 

 good indeed and the shovels cupped and broad. 



Presently the Frenchman and the waggon put in an 

 appearance. He was greatly surprised, and vociferated 

 a great deal concerning "Vorignal magnifique" That 

 night we camped beside the moose and, before we slept 

 upon his hide, thoroughly discussed my amazing good 

 luck, the extent of which we only realised later when 

 hunting caribou over the same country in the "first 

 snow," at which time, during a week's walking, we 

 saw only two moose-tracks those of a cow and a calf, 

 the widow and offspring, perhaps, of the big bull. 



Only on one other occasion have I had equal or 

 greater good fortune, and then a moose was once more 

 the victim. I was paddling up a river and, owing to a 

 rain-shower, landed upon a sandy spit under a high 

 bank. When the rain cleared off, before launching the 

 canoe again, I thought I might as well climb the bank 

 and have a look round. On doing so in a very desul- 

 tory way I at once saw a bull moose standing facing 

 me about a hundred and fifty yards away. As he had 

 not seen me I was able to sit down and rest my elbow 

 upon a stump which lay embedded in the marshy soil, 

 and so to take a quiet shot, which was effective. But 

 for the rain I should never have dreamed of landing 

 from the canoe at this spot. 



On another occasion while on a trip we were camped 

 in a country where both caribou and moose were to be 

 found. One night on returning to camp a French- 

 Canadian, who was with me, informed me that he and 

 his companions had seen a large bull, a cow, and a calf 

 upon the other side of the lake. As I had returned to 

 camp by daylight more than an hour before he saw fit 



