A Newfoundland Caribou Hunt 



would give us a wider berth, and sheered off 

 a few points, making for the land a couple of 

 hundred yards above us. At once the idea of 

 catching the youngster occurred to us, and 

 with a wild yell the chase began. 



And such a chase ! 



In each boat four sturdy men heaved upon 

 as many ashen oars with mighty heaves, and 

 our two dories shot ahead like live things. 

 The caribou turned squarely up the lake and 

 swam for dear life down the very center, in the 

 face of wind and waves and pelting rain. He 

 swam very fast, and it took us ten minutes to 

 cut down, inch by inch, the hundred yards of 

 water that separated us. 



At last we overtook him, and ranged on 

 either side of him as he swam, grunting and 

 puffing ; and then Fred, the guide, grabbed 

 him by the horns. Instantly chaos arose and 

 circled us. The lake lifted from its very bot- 

 tom, shouldered over and fell about us with 

 the hurtling rain, while the beating as of ten 

 thousand hoofs rang upon the dory's side. 



Above this tumult spoke a voice : 



/'Be careful and don't hurt him, Fred," it 

 said. 



That must have sounded ludicrous to Fred, 

 289 



