60 A SPORTING PARADISE 



known to be gored to death ; generally, however, 

 he flies from the vanquisher, or follows him, 

 crestfallen, at a respectful distance, ready to 

 turn on his heels and scamper off at the first 

 threat of his victorious rival. In these rencontres 

 the horns of the combatants sometimes become 

 interlocked in such a manner that they cannot 

 be separated, and the pugnacious bucks are 

 consigned to a lingering death by starvation. 

 The following is an extract from my notes : 

 "Crane Lake, Muskoka, September yth, 1902. 

 Leaving Blackstone Lake we took a path 

 through the bush. After walking about a mile 

 we arrived at Crane Lake. The only event 

 during our journey which produced excitement 

 occurred while we were cautiously crossing a 

 swamp on the half-decayed, slippery logs. Mac 

 was carrying a number of articles, but stepping 

 out in splendid form as though he had been 

 born to bush-life. His object appeared to im- 

 press the party that an athlete was equally at 

 home in all the departments of courage and 

 endurance. He was walking some distance ahead 

 of the party when suddenly he disappeared. We 

 heard, however, he was much alive ; in fact, he 

 made his existence conspicuous for miles around 



