4 Wilderness Ways. 



to me, but left a clear space for the frightened, crowd- 

 ing animals behind. The swiftest shot ahead to the 

 lead; the great herd lengthened out from its com- 

 pact mass ; swerved easily to the left, as at a word of 

 command ; crashed through the fringe of evergreen 

 in which I had been hiding, — out into the open again 

 with a wild plunge and a loud cracking of hoofs, where 

 they all settled into their wondei-ful trot again, and 

 kept on steadily across the barren below. 



That was the sight of a lifetime. One who saw 

 it could never again think of caribou as ungainly 

 animals. 



Megaleep belongs to the tribe of Ishmael. Indeed, 

 his Latin name, as well as his Indian one, signifies 

 The Wanderer ; and if you watch him a little while you 

 will understand perfectly why he is called so. The 

 first time I ever met him in summer, in strong con- 

 trast to the winter herd, made his name clear in a 

 moment. It was twilight on a wilderness lake. I 

 was sitting in my canoe by the inlet, wondering what 

 kind of bait to use for a big trout which lived in an 

 eddy behind a rock, and which disdained everything 

 I offered him. The swallows were busy, skimming 

 low, and taking the young mosquitoes as they rose 

 from the water. One dipped to the surface near the 

 eddy. As he came down I saw a swift gleam in the 



