A DIFFICULT TRAIL. 107 



river as quickly as possible, in order to follow 

 up the wounded caribou. 



We soon found a very heavy blood trail, 

 whicli we followed easily for perhaps a mile in 

 a very dense forest. Then the blood began to 

 show less distinctly on the wet leaves and 

 soaking, spongy ground. At length we came to 

 where the wounded stag had been lying down. 

 He had probably only just got on his feet 

 again when we were quite close to him, for 

 the forest was here very thick. On rising, 

 the sorely-tried but stubborn animal had 

 not gone away at a run, but had just dragged 

 itself off at a slow walk. We were, however, 

 only able to follow at a still slower pace, as 

 there was now but little blood to guide us, 

 and we found it almost impossible to detect 

 any sign of hoof marks in the wet, spongy 

 moss with which the ground was everywhere 

 covered. 



I know of no country where the track of a 

 wounded animal, if there is no blood on the 

 spoor, is so difficult to follow as in 

 Newfoundland. 



