in an Untouched A nterican \l~ilder ness 



the farther side of a wide valley ; and after 

 climbing around the rocks for two or 

 three miles, to avoid their winding us, we 

 lost sight of them entirely. Disgusted at 

 our ill-fortune, we started back for the 

 stream to "boil the kettle" for a midday 

 lunch, and, on our way there, walked right 

 in amongst the caribou, which were lying 

 down. It was a surprise on both sides ; 

 and the caribou, of which we counted six- 

 teen, fairly climbed over each other in 

 their efforts to escape. After three or 

 four wild shots I had the good luck to 

 stop the big bull of the herd. 



The next day Duncan, the cook, and 

 Herbert, the boy, took the canoe, and 

 went after the caribou's head and hide ; 

 and, much to our surprise, came back with 

 two pairs of antlers instead of one. 



They reported that they had seen twen- 

 ty-six caribou, too far away to follow, high 

 up on the mountain-side ; but when they 

 reached the place by the side of the stream 

 where we told them we had left the cari- 

 bou we had shot the day before, they 

 found a lonesome bull standing within one 

 hundred feet of his dead companion ; and 

 Herbert, who had begged the privilege of 

 taking the big rifle along in the canoe, 

 had shot the animal as neatly as though it 



154 



