XXVI 



RECREATION. 



HUNTING IN NOVA SCOTIA. 



My guide came in one day in January 

 and reported a large moose about 15 miles 

 from town, and we were soon under way. 

 Spending the night at the guide's house we 

 made an early start. There was plenty of 

 snow for tracking, almost too much for 

 tramping, and late in the afternoon my 

 enthusiasm had fallen to zero. No sign 

 of a moose or anything else in the game 

 line had been seen, so we decided to strike 

 for the timber and camp for the night. 

 Turning to our left we crossed a barren 

 when just at our feet we struck the track, 

 not 2 days old, of a large moose, going 

 North. We kept a West course through 

 small hard wood on which moose feed. 

 For an hour we plodded through the snow, 

 taking little heed to steps, our guns on 

 our backs, when just as we topped a small 

 ridge, up jumped a big moose and started 

 up the rise at a smart clip. We struggled 

 to get at our guns, my Winchester catch- 

 ing in my hunting shirt, but a desperate 

 pull cleared it, and throwing it to my 

 shoulder I glanced through the sights for a 

 dead on end shot. 



The moose stopped and looked around 

 and my guide fired. I gave the moose an- 

 other shot as it disappeared. We rushed 

 down the hill and over the crest in time to 

 see the brute floundering on 3 legs; another 

 shot dropped her, and we were soon up 

 with the game, a fallow cow moose, yet 

 black in good condition. My first shot had 

 struck the moose on the hip, passed through 

 the body and lodged in the shoulder. 



We were happy as we camped under our 

 lean-to, a rousing fire at our feet. At day- 

 break my guide started to the nearest set- 

 tlement for help to carry out the meat, and 

 I stayed in camp. Finding the time drag 

 I started to look over the ground. Leav- 

 ing my gun I walked over the barrens to 

 a strip of burnt timber, when I was startled 

 by a sharp snarl, and saw, not 20 yards from 

 me, a large wildcat tearing a rabbit. I 

 stooped slowly and picked up a limb, but 

 the cat made a short spring at me. As I 

 slashed at him he changed his mind, seized 

 the rabbit and ran up an old pine stump 

 12 or 15 feet high, and growled and spit 

 at me. This was too much, so taking out 

 my knife I soon cut a stout maple stick 

 and started up the stump, the broken limbs 

 making a good ladder. The cat spit and 

 growled, but held his ground and rabbit. 

 Keeping my head well back I made my way 

 up to striking distance, just in front of the 

 ugly snarling face, and landed a quick, 

 sharp blow between his ears. A yell, a 

 slip, something soft hit me in the face, and 

 a crash. I could feel the cat's teeth in my 

 leg and struck blindly and then scrambled 

 on 'my feet. The cat was kicking on the 

 other side of the stump. The rabbit had 

 fallen, striking my face, and the cat's teeth 

 were only a sharp twig puncturing my leg. 

 A few blows quieted the cat, and taking 

 him over my shoulder I tracked back, feel- 



ing that I had got off easily. At noon my 

 guide returned, and the moose meat was 

 packed out to a meadow road, where a boy 

 with ox and sled took up our loads, and we 

 started for home. The animal weighed over 

 500 pounds dressed meat. 



February 1st word came from Aspoto- 

 gan that a bear or bears had been located 

 in a den near the mountain. Next morning 

 a 20 mile drive took me to Northwestern 

 cove and a 4 mile tramp took us to the 

 grounds. The greatest caution was ob- 

 served on our approach to the den. Every- 

 thing was quiet ; no signs of bear could be 

 found. My men were positive that a bear 

 was in the hole, but no one would venture 

 in. If I wanted that bear I should have 

 to get him out myself. 



Slipping off my knapsack and cap I cau- 

 tiously entered the den on all fours. The 

 passage was dry, leading upward and very 

 dark. My nose soon told me that the cave 

 had some occupant. I wriggled on for 30 

 feet, keeping my rifle pushed ahead and 

 lying flat to allow light to enter. The pas- 

 sage widened to a cave, and as my eyes 

 became accustomed to the dim light I 

 thought I could see a dark mass moving or 

 rocking to and fro. I lay perfectly still. 

 Presently I heard a sniffing, then a decided 

 snort. It was getting creepy. I raised my- 

 self on my left arm and cocked my rifle. 

 The rustling and sniffing continued. I had 

 certainly intruded on the winter nap of a 



first cousin of "Adam Zad ." "Make no 



truce with the bear," kept dinging in my 

 ears. I was in for it sure. There was more 

 than one, I could tell b>y the sniffs. I was 

 beginning to get impatient and wanted to 

 know the worst. Suddenly out of the dark- 

 est part of the cave gleamed 2 balls of fire. 

 I knew what that meant ; then 2 more not 

 so wide apart ; then 2 more ! Great Scott ! 

 had I struck a menagerie? 



The snorting and sniffing continued. 

 Bruin was waking up. I raised my rifle, a 

 ray of light lay along the barrel and aim- 

 ing carefully between the 2 largest balls, 

 I pressed the trigger. The cave was filled 

 with the report and a decided row was 

 going on at the extremity of the cave. I 

 doubled myself around and clawed my way 

 down the passage. 



I told my story and we gathered bark and 

 brush and soon had a good smoke at the 

 cave's entrance, and as it grew in density a 

 commotion was heard in the cavern. The fire 

 was raked away from the entrance and 

 presently a small bear made his appearance, 

 blinking in the light, and then another one 

 evidently in a hurry to get out. Two shots 

 rang out and 2 yearling bears lay dead. 

 After the smoke had cleared away I ven- 

 tured in and ran against the carcass of 

 the first bear. He did not move when I 

 poked him with my rifle so I concluded he 

 was dead. A 4 mile tramp for a rope and ,j 

 the old bear was dragged out, and all 3 

 then skinned. I had the bounty offered by 

 the district as well as the sport. 



E. D. Lordly, Chester, Nova Scotia. 



