THE chase: 357 



the latter being much larger and more pointed. Presently we 

 came to an opening in the forest, where the brook discharo-ed 

 itself into a large circular swamp, densely grown up with alder 

 bushes and swamp maple, with a thick undergrowth of gigantic 

 ferns. Joe whispered, as we stood on the brow of the hill over- 

 looking it, ' May be they are in there lying down ; if not they 

 are started ; ' and putting to his lips the conical bark trumpet 

 which he carried, he gave a short, plaintive call — an imitation 

 of a young bull approaching and wishing to join the others. No 

 answer or sound of movement came from the swamp. ' Ah, I 

 afraid so,' said Joe, as Ave passed around and examined the 

 ground on the other side. ' I most all the time fear they started ; 

 they smell our fire this morning, while Jem was making the 

 breakfast.' Long striding tracks, deeply plowing up the moss, 

 showed they had gone off in alarm, and at a swinging trot, their 

 course being for the barrens above. It was useless to follow 

 them, so we went off to another part of the barren in search of 

 other tracks. The walking in the open barren was very fatiguing 

 after the luxury of the mossy carpeting of the forest, slipping con- 

 stantly on the wet, smooth rocks, or slimy surfaces of decayed 

 trees ; forever climbing over masses of prostrate trunks, and for- 

 cing our way tlirough tangled brakes, and plunging into the ooz- 

 ing moss on newly-inundated swamps, we spent a long morning 

 without seeing Moose, though our spirits were prevented from 

 flagging by constantly following fresh tracks. The Moose were 

 exceedingly ' yiuy,' as Joe termed it, and we started two or 

 three pairs witliout either hearing or seeing them, until some ex- 

 clamation of disappointment from tlie Indian proclaimed the un- 

 welcome fact. At length we reached the most elevated part of the 

 barren. We could see the wooded hills of the opposite shore of 

 the lake looming darkly through the mist, and here and there a 

 portion of its dark waters. The country was very open; nothing 

 but moss and stunted huckleberry bushes, about a foot and a half 

 in height, covered it, save here and there a clump of dwarf maples, 

 with a few scarlet leaves still clinging to them. The forms of 

 prostrate trunks, blackened by fire, lying across the bleached 

 rocks often gave me a start, as, seen at a distance, through the 

 dark, misty air, they resembled the forms of our long-sought 

 game — particularly so, when surmounted by twisted roots up- 

 heaved in their fall, which appeared to crown them with antlers. 

 " ' Stop, Capten ! not a move ; ' suddenly whispered old Joe, 

 who was crossing the barren a few yards to my left ; ' don't 



