35G THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



broken limbs and rough granite rocks often cause a severe bruise 

 or fall to the hunter. It was, as Joe said, a ' grand place ' for 

 calling the Moose, as in some spots the country could be scanned 

 for miles around, whilst the numerous small bushes and rock 

 bowlders would afford a ready concealment from the quick sight 

 of this animal. However, time would show. If calling could 

 not be attempted next morning, it would most likely be suitable 

 for creeping ; so, hoping for a calm morning and a clear sky, or, 

 at all events for a cessation of the rain, we stretched ourselves for 

 repose ; and the pattering drops and the crackling and snapping 

 of the logs on the fire, and the hooting of the owls in the distant 

 forest, became less and less heeded or heard, till sleep translated 

 us to the land of dreams. 



" To our disgust, it still rained when we awoke next morning ; 

 the wind was in the same direction, and the same gloomy sky 

 promised no better things for us that day. The old Indian, how- 

 ever, drew on his mocasins, and started off to the barren by 

 himself, to take a survey of the country wliilst the breakfast was 

 preparing, and I gloomily threw myself back on the blanket for 

 another snooze. After an hour or so's absence, Joe returned and 

 sat down to his breakfast (we had finished our's and were smok- 

 ing), looking very wet and excited. ' Two Moose pass round 

 close to camp last night,' said he. ' I find their tracks on bar- 

 ren. They gone down the little valley towards the lake, and I 

 see their tracks again in the woods quite fresh. You get ready, 

 Capten ; I have notion we see Moose to-daj'. I see some more 

 tracks on the barren going southward ; however, we try the 

 tracks near camp first, — may be we find them, if not started by 

 the smell of the fire.' 



" We were soon at it ; and left our camp with hopeful hearts, 

 and in Indian file, stepping lightly in 'each other's tracks over the 

 elastic moss. Everything was in first-rate order for creeping on 

 the Moose ; the fallen leaves did not rustle on the ground, and 

 even dead sticks bent without snapping, and we progressed rap- 

 idly and noiselessly as cats towai'ds the lake. Presently we came 

 on the tracks, here and there deeplj^ impressed on a bare spot of 

 soil, but on the moss hardly discernible, except to the Indian's 

 keen vision. They were going down the valley ; a little brook 

 coursed through it towards the lake, and from the mossy banks 

 sprung graceful bushes of moose-wood and maple, on the young 

 shoots of which the Moose had been feeding as they passed. The 

 tracks showed that they were a young bull and a cow, those of 



