A HUNTER'S CAMP-FIRES 



had been able to approach within forty yards of this animal, 

 and Howe had mortally wounded it at the first shot, but had 

 experienced difhculty in finishing it off. It had twenty points 

 and a spread of fifty-one inches. The carcasses of these two 

 moose lay within two hundred yards of each other in thick 

 bush. We spent that afternoon and the following morning in 

 skinning and preserving the two heads in the usual downpour. 



In the afternoon we moved camp six miles farther down the 

 valley, and about sunset camped in a grove of poplars. Mac 

 and I spent a long and unsuccessful day in hunting moose in 

 the burnt timber at the mouth of the valley. Above timber- 

 line many goats were in sight, and while returning to camp 

 from this hunt I climbed up to a band of these animals and 

 killed three. Howe also shot two goats on a shorter trip from 

 camp. The next day was spent in getting the pack-train over 

 ten miles of swamp and burnt timber. We camped within 

 a mile of Iskoot Lake, and during the day passed over our 

 trail made two weeks before and the trail of the outfit of two 

 New York sportsmen made since that time. Mac and I took 

 another unsuccessful tramp over the mountains that evening, 

 and decided that we would make a last determined attempt for 

 moose during the next few days. 



The following morning w^e started out for a range of moun- 

 tains which reared themselves above the ridges of burnt 

 timber to the south of camp. Mac led my saddle-horse, which 

 carried a small tent, blankets, axe, cooking utensils, and pro- 

 visions for three days. Six hours later we were working our 

 way up a steep and dangerous slide near the top of the range, 

 Mac leading the weary pack-horse, while I cleared a trail ahead 

 through the bushes with the axe. Having climbed some dis- 

 tance ahead of the Indian and horse, I hurried back down the 

 mountain-side as the sound of dislodged rocks and excited yells 

 from Mac came drifting up to me. While being led along a 

 dangerous slide the horse had lost its footing, and now, with 



360 



