A STAG ON THE MUD-FLAT. 125 



on the open mud-flat, gazing curiously at us 

 from a distance of less than three hundred 

 yards. 



Towards nightfall the strong wind, which 

 had been blowing hard all day long from 

 the south-west, died away, and rain came on 

 which lasted till nearly noon the next day, when 

 the clouds cleared off and the weather became 

 beautiful. 



As I had two caribou heads to skin and 

 prepare I remained in camp whilst Saunders 

 and Wells went for the meat of the first of the 

 two stags shot on the previous day. Whilst 

 they were away I interrupted my work at 

 short intervals, and reconnoitred the mud-flat 

 across the river. 



Early in the day a doe caribou made her 

 appearance and presently lay down on the open 

 ground, and later on a fine stag, after wander- 

 ing about for some time but never approaching 

 the doe, finally took up its position for the 

 day within four hundred yards of our camp, 

 but quite three hundred from the nearest cover 

 on the bank of the river. I could see with my 



