The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-04-16

teal hunter accompanied him, he ex-
planned, it would take the appetite
away from the adventure. He wanted
to slay a moose, perhaps many of them,
but he wanted to do it alone and I'M
aided
The moose. rs those well acquainted
with the animals know, herd together
during the severe weather of winter
and pick out for themselves a
piece of very green woods. This
piece of woods may be twenty miles in
circumference or it may be only five,
according to the numter >herding to-
gether. But the place where they herd
must be well wooded with green pine
or they will not abide there. They
feed on the green boughs. and in go
ing about they make innumerable path
ways running in all directions and
crossing each other at all kinds of
angles. This is what is called a
moose yard"
1t was bright and crispy morning
in the month of February that the Wis
count and his tutor, Mr. White. arrived
at one of these yards" The habitant,
Jean Baptiste Cayer, who drove them
in his Jumper" sleigh, gave the young
men some useful hints. He told them
to stick together and be very careful to
make marks as they went along the
paths" so that they would be able to
return. He explained to them that it
was the very easiest thing in the world
to get lost in following up these paths;
| they were SO innumerable and crossed
each other in SO many different direc-
tions that unless the utmost care was
taken they would be in danger of
wandering for days before being able
to regain the point they started from.
The plan that practical hunters adopted
in moose ward" was to ''blaze"
(chip) tree here and there as they
went along, but the blaze" should be
placed on the side of the tree in the
direction in which they went, SO as to
avoid confusion. As last word he
told them that moose would fight
like lion.
My lord of Kilfoyie and his tutor
listened very patiently, but their at
' SSheiOD "0o I'LL esO ttOoPSSbAsO 6aAhO
and not on the words of the habitant
After leaving directions to Jean to
meet them at shutdown at the same
place where they disembarked, they
entered the yard" with high hopes
and rifles ready. This particular yard
was about ten miles in circumference,
surrounded by dense woods, the only
avenue to civilization being by the
rough road over which they journeyed
in the habitant's sleigh. The English
men were used to sport IN their native
land, but walking through a thick
wood aud on a narrow path which had
been beaten hard by the trotting Of
the moose over it. in quest of animals
they absolutely knew nothing of, was
a novel experience.
As they went forward over one of
the paths the tutor would occasionally
break down twig as means of
future guidance. But after an hours
tramping, with no game in sight or
hearing, halt was called, and the Wis
count and his companion agreed to di-
vide, but to pursue parallel paths.
Moose paths, however, are very deceiv-
ing. They intersect each other SO fire.
quently that even the closest observer
is liable to be led astray. The Wis
count and Mr.. White walked along on
different paths. each satisfied within
himself that the path he was following
ur was exactly parallel with that of
his companion. The paths, however,
although seeming parallel, diverged at
each step, SO that after an hours walk
ing. while each thought he was in hail
of the other, the fact was that nearly a
mile of territory divided them. The
agreement was that whoever fired the
first shot the other was to Immediately
join his companion. 1t is very easy to
make an appointment of that kind. but
in a moose yard" it is very difficult
thing to keep it, as the tutor found
when he essayed to reach the noble
man, for the viscount was the first to
spy game and fire the first shot.
1t was about an hour after leaving
the tutor that my lord of Kilfoyle saw
among the evergreens a mammoth
moose quietly browsing at the young
trees The Englishmau's eye glittered
and his heart bounded with joy. Here
at last was one of the giant animals he
so eagerly sought A hundred yards or
SO separated them, and in an instant
the viscount raised his rife and fired
Just at the moment when the hammer
descended on the cartridge the animal
moved, and, instead of the bullet
striking the body, for which it was
aimed, it hit him on the hind leg.
When the bullet struck the moose
sprang into the air with roar of pain,
and then. gazing around to see whence
came the missile. he saw the English
m. -, ~