1896
August 27
(No 6)
Lake Umbagog
Moose Point
  After I had watched him for some twenty minutes the moose
turned off towards the westward and disappeared behind some
bushes evidently making towards Leonard's Pond. The creek
leads directly past these bushes and thence into the pond.
Accordingly I perceived at once that it offered a convenient
and silent path of approach. Paddling hard yet cautiously
I soon reached the bushes and to my delight found that
the moose had progressed so slowly that he was scarce sixty
yards beyond them & still making his way across the open meadow.
But when he discovered me and turning advanced straight
towards me I began to think that my success in approaching
him was possibly not a matter for self congratulation. This
impression deepened as, without once pausing or hesitating, he
came steadily on. When he finally stopped I judged him
to be within twenty yards but on pacing the distance next
day we found it to be just thirty-two yards. He stood on 
a little knoll facing me and looking down at me over the
tops of the bushes which concealed his legs & most of the
body as well. His eyes looked large and round and had a
mild expression but his general bearing was unpleasantly imposing
and defiant and when, finally, he erected the long hair
of his neck I thought it prudent to increase the distance
between us. Failing in an attempt to turn the canoe by
reason of the narrowness of the creek & the shallowness of the
water I pushed out backwards a few rods. At the same
moment the moose lowered his head & disappeared. No doubt
he was really quite as frightened as I for we found by
examining his tracks next day that he made off on a run
some of his leaps covering a distance (measured) of ten feet
each. I heard him flounder through the mud and plunge
into a small pond which he crossed by swimming. Then
[margin]moose[/margin]