220 BIG GAME SHOOTING IN ALASKA chap. 



about two yards ahead of the leading bull, into which he must 

 walk if he came two steps forward. Alas ! he did exactly 

 what I was afraid of — ^that is to say, turned short to the left 

 and walked away covered by the trees, only presenting his 

 hind-quarters to me as he moved over the brow and out of 

 sight in a few yards. 



Immediately the other bull prepared to follow him, but 

 now, being desperate and catching sight of some part of his 

 body between two trees, I fired. He immediately stopped 

 and looked round, the bullet evidently having hit some of 

 the innumerable tree-stems near him. This was fatal to the 

 beast, as he stood for a second showing part of his side and 

 shoulder. Taking as steady an aim as I could standing, I 

 fired again, and much to my surprise down went the bull 

 like a log. The distance was, as near as I could pace it 

 afterwards, about 330 yards, and considering how little of 

 the beast I could see, I was pleased with my performance, 

 for I do not class myself very high as a rifle-shot. Both the 

 natives were very disgusted, and kept saying, " You no shoot 

 quick, now you kill 'um little horns. That no good, we lose 

 'um big horns." Pitka added, " Me never see moose such 

 big horns, same as one we lose 'um." Then I turned on 

 them, and told them in the most forcible and emphatic 

 manner that, if they had only remained quiet, we should 

 probably have bagged both moose. They almost refused to 

 come and see the moose I had killed, saying, " Little head no 

 good." However I went across, and as I got to about ten 

 yards from the moose, he suddenly stood up and looked at 

 me. He was pretty sick, and I soon gave the poor brute a 

 bullet in the chest which finished him. The first bullet had 

 passed in just behind his shoulder, and had only missed the 

 heart by about two inches. I soon saw I had got a really 



