72 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



two traversed, when the margin of a clear, calm lake was 

 reached, surrounded with beautiful green hills. Again we 

 launched our canoe on the bosom of the waters, arriving at 

 a second halting-place as the sun in glorious splendor dip- 

 ped the. western horizon. Hiding our frail birch-bark craft 

 in some brush, with my attendant leading, we started up an 

 acclivity; after an hour's rough and difficult walking, the 

 Indian stopped, and sounded a note on his calling-horn. 

 To this there was no response, but my friend assured me, 

 " Plenty moose by-by."~ 



The night was as beautiful as the day preceding it. The 

 hunter's moon was at its full, and near objects could be 

 seen almost as distinctly as when the sun was high in the 

 heavens. Several efforts with the call had been made; dis- 

 appointment and failure began to appear certain, when a 

 distant and unknown sound struck my ear. At the same 

 moment the redskin seized my arm and whispered, " Old 

 bull." We both placed ourselves in a hemlock-tree, and 

 numerous were the injunctions I received of the necessity 

 of silence. Afraid to move, cramped in an awkward posi- 

 tion, for near a mortal hour I endured the torments, cer- 

 tainly not of the blessed ; still move I would not, ultimately 

 could not, as the answering voice of the bull in response to 

 the Indian's call told that the giant was rapidly approach- 

 ing. At length oh, how glad I was ! the noblest game I 

 had ever set eyes upon broke into the opening at a cautious 

 trot, hesitated, stopped, and impatiently stamped his foot. 

 The distance that the moose was from us could not have 

 been more than thirty yards. Slowly and imperceptibly 

 the Indian's gun was getting into shooting position. I at- 

 tempted to do the same w T ith mine, when oh ! what ex- 

 cuse can I offer? bang went the right barrel, and, but for 

 a vigorous effort, I should have fallen from my perch. 



I had better draw a veil over the recriminations that en- 



