THE CARIBOU. 81 



which they are started a number of times before making off 

 for another neighborhood, especially if followed by a slow 

 hound. The Caribou, on the contrary, when started by 

 hounds, steers straight away for a run of perhaps thirty 

 or forty miles before i^ausing for any length of time. 

 Should the hunter be lucky enough to have himself posted 

 on the line taken by a herd of Caribou pursued by hounds, 

 he may congratulate himself on the fact that few sports- 

 men can find themselves in a more exciting position. 



Some few years ago, a sporting friend of the writer, Mr. 

 Camj)bell Macnab, of Riviere du Loup, in the Province 

 of Quebec, had a rousing climax of exciting sj)ort com- 

 pressed into a few minutes. He had with him a single 

 hound that had been well trained upon our common Deer; 

 and his master had determined, at the first opportunity, to 

 try him on Caribou. Having arrived on the ground, some 

 miles back from the banks of the St. Lawrence, where his 

 Indian guide had reported the presence of the noble game, 

 the latter was sent out on a large plain to put out the dog. 

 Macnab had stationed himself near a gorge between the 

 hills, down which, if started, he expected the Deer to run. 



A few minutes after having been cast loose, the good 

 dog, "Curl" — so called from the twist of his tail — soon 

 scented the game; and forthwith the melodious music of his 

 tongue, coming down the ravine, was heard, as, with fierce 

 howls and rapid strides, he followed in the wake of nine 

 magnificent bucks, in rapid flight before him. On they 

 came at a swinging trot, the voice of stanch old Curl 

 increasing in distinctness and volume at every stride. At 

 length, in single file, headed by a grand buck with wide- 

 branching antlers, they burst upon the hunter's view. Sud- 

 denly, from the edge of a thicket, rose a puff of smoke, 

 followed by a loud report, and the king of the startled 

 herd fell in his tracks, as a heavy bullet from a breech- 

 loader tore through his shoulder. 



Tlie remainder of the herd instantly became demoralized. 

 Some of them stood still, while others jumped about in con- 

 fusion. As rapidly as the rilie could be fired and reloaded, 



