THE STAG OF CANADA. 99 



years so many acts of retaliation yes, and treachery have 

 been practiced by the white man upon the aborigines, that 

 the aborigines are too apt to regard all pale-faces as their 

 natural-born enemies. Thus, to shoot Wapitti will proba- 

 bly entail shooting savages ; for if you are not prepared 

 to do so in self-defense, it is highly improbable that you 

 will return to the land of your nativity to relate your 

 knowledge of their habits, or the success you have had in 

 their pursuit. 



The stag of Canada for by this name the Wapitti is sci- 

 entifically known is essentially gregarious, and sometimes 

 herds amount to hundreds ; but as a rule they will be found 

 assembled in coteries of a dozen or more, the females inva- 

 riably performing the duties of sentinels ; and although they 

 are less difficult of approach than either the Virginian or 

 black-tailed deer, still it is necessary for the stalker never 

 to disregard wind and intervening obstacles if he desires to 

 get sufficiently close to the game to deal it a certain shot. 



In very stormy weather, particularly if it be accompanied 

 with snow, however, I have known them possess the utmost 

 indifference to man's presence, so that even after being 

 wounded they would scarcely move above a few yards 

 from the place where they had been stricken. In fact, 

 under such circumstances, they appear to get confused and 

 afraid to flee, lest the herd should become separated and 

 broken up. On such occasions as these the Indians make 

 great havoc among them ; for it is a peculiarity of this race 

 that they never cease from slaughter while a survivor re- 

 mains within their reach. One would imagine that expe- 

 rience would teach them otherwise, for there is scarcely a 

 year that these aborigines are not reduced to the most des- 

 perate straits from famine ; but their improvidence is in- 

 herent, and to the end of time they will practice the adage, 

 " Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." 



