The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-28

this moose sank to the earth as silently a.
the first. The guide went over to bleed
the second moose when he heard a slight
rustic behind him. and. turning about
saw third moose surveying him with
open-eyed effrontry. This apparition, as
Braithwaite explained was 600 much for
MS stomach so soon after supper and he
dropped his rifle and bolted for the camp
for all he was worth
1t is sound maxim of moose hunting
that 1t is the unexpected that may always
be expected to occur. An Indian guide
named Socobe captured moose after the
first heavy fall of snow last winter when
ne was upon the point of giving up the
chase. He had started the animal on
hard wood ridge. The animal at once
took to the bed Of Rocky brook and ran up
the ice, the snow being there not as deep
as on the shore. The moose ran up the
brook for several miles, The Indian follow
ing doggedly.
At shutdown when Socobie was nearly
exhausted and the moose was stiI invisi-
Bile the Indian walked around projecting
point to take a last look up the frozen
stream. To his Amusement he saw the
moose standing on the ice only few rods
away making unsuccessful efforts TO pro-
coed. The Indian AZ once shot the moose
and then was able to solve the problem.
II appeared that when the brook froze up
some weeks before the water was at a
high level as a result of a recent rain.
After the ice had formed firmly the water
fell away several feet At this particu-
lar place the ice had bent or collapsed in
the middle, leaving on each shore a steep
s,ope, which the moose was unable TO sur
mount His progress up the stream was
also barred by small cataract also
frozen and as slippery as glass
Every time the moose attempted to get
up the shore, now on one side and now
on the other, he slipped and slid toward
the center. Twice the Indian saw the
sagacious brute deliberately raise his fore
feet and bring them down like pile drivers
in his efforts TO break the ice.
They Are Hardy Animals.
1t is marvellous the ease with which a
moose will travel on ground where a horse
would be unable to make the slightest
progress. Most of the small and some of
the largest forest lakes of the province
would be moro properly described as
ponds, the water being very shallow and
the bottom composed of unfathomed ooze
or mud, into which an oar or a pole may
be showed its full length without the least
obstruction. If a horse were TO attempt
to cross one of these DOGGY ponds he
would be engulfed at once, yet the moose
is able to wander about at will over and
through these treacherous quagmires,
looking for lilypad roots and other aquatic
plants.
During his annual bear hunt last spring
Braithwaite saw forty-three moose in the
little southwest country, and spent a great
deal of time studying their habits. He
affirms that, by actual timing, he has es-
tablished the fact that moose when seek
ing his food in the lake bottoms will re-
main under water for more than a min
ute and a half Moreover, he says that
the animal, when feeding in deep water.
.s..lr a..
one experience that entirely upset his cal
cuations. He had quietly padded his ca
noe around turn In dead water. There
was not visible at the time rip
pie on the surface.
Suddenly a huge shaggy form project
ed itself above the water a few yards In
front of the canoe, took a long breath of
fresh air and went down again. When
the moose came up a second time Braith-
waite had padded a short distance beyond
where the animal had first appeared. The
moose on this occasion caught sight OF
his strange visitor and made for the shore
at his utmost speed.
While the peculiar pacing gait of the
r'rose will not carry him over the ground
as rapidly as the deer or catibou his en-
durance far surpasses that OF either OF
these animals. For short squirt or in
very deep snow. the caribou ear easily
distance the moose, but for an all day 8
iaunt where the course is fairly open. the
moose has no rival.
Many years ago, when Sir Edmund Head
was governor of the province he owned
a trained moose that performed remarlSa-
bic feats of speed and endurance. or one
occasion the Governor wagercd $500 that his
moose could travel from Fredericton 10
ST. John, over the ice a distance of eigh
ty-four miles, in faster time than
any team of horses in the stud of LORD
Hi of the Flfty-second Regiment. A
sledge was attached to the moose and an
other to the horses. The river ice was
covered with about eight inches of snow.
The start was made opposite the gov
eminent house at O'Clock in the morn
ing In seven hours the moose and his
driver were on Market Square, St John.
Lord Hills team was distanced, one of
the horses expiring at Gagetown, and the
other reaching St. John three hours be-
hind the moose.
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