A MOOSE- YARD. 20? 



distance, he had traced it to the pond before mentioned ; 

 but having also discovered the tracks of two men, made 

 at the same time as those of the moose, he concluded they 

 must have killed it. Nevertheless, approaching cautiously 

 to the margin of the pond, he sat down to rest. Presently, 

 he saw the moose rise slowly in the centre of the pond, 

 which was not very deep, and wade towards the shore 

 where he was sitting. When he came sufficiently near, 

 he shot him in the water. 



The manner of hunting moose in winter is also illus- 

 trative of his recluse disposition. Deer are taken exten- 

 sively by a process called " crusting ; " that is, pursuing 

 them, after a night's rain followed by frost has formed a 

 crust of ice upon the surface of the deep snow. This 

 will easily bear the weight of a man furnished with 

 rackets, or snow-shoes, but gives way at once under the 

 hoof of a moose or deer ; and the animal thus embar- 

 rassed is readily overtaken and killed. 



The moose, though occasionally taken by " crusting," 

 seems to understand his danger, and to take precautions 

 against it. 



The sagacious animal, so soon as a heavy storm sets 

 in, begins to form what is called a " moose-yard/' which 

 is a large area, wherein he industriously tramples down 

 the snow while it is falling, so as to have room to move 

 about in and browse upon the branches of trees, without 

 the necessity of wandering from place to place, struggling 

 through the deep drifts, exposed to the wolves, who, being 

 of lighter make, hold a carnival upon the deer in crusting 



