A HUNTER'S CAMP-FIRES 



From the crest of the first mountain, with the aid of the 

 glasses, we could look over an extensive broken country con- 

 sisting of the heads of several rugged cafions. Mac's experi- 

 enced eyes soon detected two small bands of caribou feeding 

 among the rocks in two separate basins. We made a long and 

 tedious descent to a ledge of rocks one hundred and fifty yards 

 above one band, to discover that it was composed of six cows 

 and a couple of yearling bulls. Then we had a tiresome climb 

 over a mountain to within fifty yards of the spot where two 

 young bulls were sparring with their antlers for the benefit of a 

 cow, which with its calf was placidly lying on the moss to one 

 side of the combat. We also discovered two hunters travelling 

 along a distant sky-line, and started for camp. En route to the 

 tent, which we reached after dark, w^e jumped a cow and calf 

 caribou, which had been lying down in the willows several 

 yards ahead of us. 



The next morning I was so stiff and sore from the unusual 

 exercise of violent climbing, after several days of inactivity and 

 a week of horseback-riding, that I was hardly able to stand. 

 However, it was necessary to move farther into the country to 

 find the large bands of caribou. We packed the horses, trav- 

 elled steadily during the morning under threatening skies, and 

 at noon camped on the shores of a beautiful little lake nestling 

 in an enormous amphitheatre of moss-covered mountains. After 

 lunching on a mess of ptarmigan, secured during the morning's 

 march, Mac and I started out in quest of caribou. Two hours 

 later we were travelling along a slippery mountain-slope when 

 Mac spotted a band of these animals about three miles distant 

 feeding in the pass at the head of the valley which we were 

 ascending. 



While we were picking our way among the rocks in their 

 direction a flock of ptarmigan fluttered up from the moss a lit- 

 tle distance ahead. They were much agitated, and, cackling 

 violently, lighted on the bowlders in the vicinity. Mac pointed 



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