Butte record., 1854-04-08


ry "varmintn in America, except the
moose | was most eager, therefore. 10
have shot at one Of these creatures.
and well remember the delight | ex-
pericnced when my friend informed me
there were moose in the woods.
On the day after my arrival we set
forth in search Of them, each armed with
a hun'ing-knhe and a heavy deer-gun.
We vent afoot; We could not 20 other
wise, as the snow lay to the depth Of
yard, and horse would have plunged
through It with difficulty. Il was an
old snow, moreover, thickly crusted, and
would have NAMED our horses, in a few
minutes. We, witk our broad rackets,
could easily skim along without sinking
below the suffice ! know not wheth-
sr You have ever seen a pair Of racke,s,
or Indian sn0w-shoes, bat their descrip-
ton Is easy. You have seen the rack
cts used in ball-Play. Wen, now fancy
hoop, not Of circular form, but forced
into an elongated pointed eclipse, very
much after the shape Of the impression
that q capsized boat would make in
snow; fancy this about three feet long,
and a foot across at its widest, closely
netted over with gut or deer-thoag. with
bars in the middle TO rest the foot upon.
and small hole to allow play to the toes,
and you viii have some idea Of a snow
shoe Two of these, right and left,
make a pair They are simply strapped
on to your boots, and then their broad
surface sustains YOU, even when the
snow Is comparatively soft, but perfectly
when 1t Is frozen.
Thus equipped, my friend and I set
out piel, followed By couple of stout
deer-hounds We made directly for a
part Of the woods where it was known
to my friend that the striped maple grew
in great plenty, as the moose are partfc-
ularly fond Of these trees, and there he
would be most likely to fall in with
them.
After we had shuflad aboaf two miles
over the snow, my friend aud ! entered
tract Of heavy timber. where the strip
ped maple formed the underwood. 1t
did not grow regularly, but in copses or
small Tickets. We had already started
some small game. but declined following,
as We were bent on moose chase. We
soon tell in with signs that indicated the
propinquity Of the animals We were in
search Of In several oil the thiekels,
the naples were stripped of their twigs
and bark, and this had been done pre-
vious TO the falling of the snow As vet
there was no tracks; we were not long.
however, before this welcome indication
was met with. On crossing a glade
where there was but little snow, the
prints Of great split hoof were seen,
which my friend at once pronounced to
be those Of the moose.
We followed this trail for some dis.
tanee, until it lead into deeper snow and
more retired part of the forest. Halt
a mile further on, they were joined by
others; and the trail become a broken
path through the deep snow, as if it had
other in single file. Four moose had
passed, as my friend-skilled in wood
craft asserted. although could not have
told that from the appearance of the
trail. He went still further. and stated
that there were bull, a COW, and two
nine months calves. s'You shall soon
see," he said, percei7ing that | was
somewhat incredulous. ''Look here -
he continued, bending down and press
ing the broken snow with his fingers i;
They are quite fresh-made within the
hour. Speak low-the cattle can't be
far off Yonder, as | live yoader they
are-hush u Ny friend, as be spoke,
pointed to a thieket about TWO hundred
yards dist ut | looked in that direction,
bat at first could perceive nothing more
than the ttickly growing branches Of the
maple After a moment, however,
could trace among the twigs the long
dark outlines of a strange animals back,
with a huge pair OF palmated horns n
sing above the underwood. 1t was the
ull-moose-there was no mistaking him
from any other creature; near him 9th
er forms-three of them-were visible !;
these were Of smaller stature. and l could
see they were hornless. They were the
COW and calves; and the herd was made
up, as my friend had foretold, of these
four individuals