Ingonish 
in the most ruthless manner because their hides 
brought the sum of ten shiUings each ; and 
what mattered the extermination of the noblest 
animals of the country compared to ten shill- 
ings in a man's pocket ? 
We are told that in 1729 over nine thou- 
sand moose were killed for their skins alone, 
and that for many years this wholesale slaughter 
was kept up unchecked. So great was the 
stench from the decaying bodies that sailors 
knew by that alone when they were approach- 
ing the north shore of Cape Breton. 
It is needless to comment upon the result. 
All too late a body of troops was stationed at 
Ingonish to protect the moose, but there were 
few left to need protection, and since then the 
unequal contest has gone on, Indians and 
sportsmen combining to destroy the noble 
animal, until now it and the caribou are almost 
exterminated in the highlands about Ingonish. 
We saw no quails in our travels, for we were 
a little too far north for them, but the Canada 
or spruce grouse in small companies ran along 
the road in front of the horse exhibiting very 
little fear. 
Ingonish is not wholly inaccessible, nor is 
251 
