THE MOOSE 39 



some blacktail. In the thicket close to the 

 lake's brink they suddenly came across a bull 

 moose ; a lean old fellow still savage from the 

 rut. Pingree, who was nearest, fired at and 

 wounded him ; whereupon he rushed straight at 

 the man, knocked him down before he could 

 turn round, and began to pound him with his 

 terrible forefeet. Summoned by his comrade's 

 despairing cries, Purvis rushed round the thickets, 

 and shot the squealing trampling monster through 

 the body, and immediately after had to swing 

 himself up a small tree to avoid its furious rush. 

 The moose did not turn after this charge but 

 kept straight on, and was not seen again. The 

 wounded man was past all help, for his chest was 

 beaten in, and he died in a couple of hours/ ' 



Leith Adams describes, in his Field and Forest 

 Rambles, the hunting of the moose on the snow- 

 crust : 



" I made for the wood with all speed and 

 had just gained the moose yard when a female 

 came crashing through the cover, and passed 

 within a few yards of me, pursued by the dogs, 

 who, running nimbly on the frozen crust, hung 

 about her flanks, yelping and barking, whilst 

 she was making laborious efforts to escape. Now 



