Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31
A TRAMP IN THE SNOW
With the Condition Of the
Ground Bad.
FOLLOWING ! A TRAIL
STRAIGHT TO A GROVE OF HEM
LOCKS.
A Band of Twenty Elk Surprised and
Scattered by an Out
slider.

1t had showed hard, thawed, frozen and
showed again. and for the traveller unpre-
pared the walking was about as bad as it
could be. The snow was deep, and just be-
meath the soft upper covering there was
crust which would hold you-a1most. 1t
was the kind of crust which supports you
until you put the very last ounce of your
weight upon the forward foot, and then
let's You down with a thump and cuts your
knee as you bend forward for the next
stride. But the snow-shoeing was perfect,
SO donned pair of snow shoes and got
out in the Blue mountain forest.
The first thing to attract my attention
was the trail of a fox, which ran from
ledge of rocks on hillside, and. extend
Ing across stretch of open pasture land,
disappeared in thicket of spruces The
track was very much like that of a small
dog. and the differences were easier to see
than to describe. Perhaps the footprints
were a trihe longer and narrower, for
tnelr size, than those of most dogs would
De, and perhaps they were arranged more
nearly In straight line. But as HINTON,
the guide, would say, they didn't look just
right for dog and perhaps, after all,
thats as much of a comparison as most
of US could give. l followed the back
track as far as the ledge, and there, near
handing good view of the country below,
was a round depression in the snow, where
the 1oX 1,, had lately curled himself up for
nap. When fox is going to lie down to
sleep. he usually walks round in a little
circle having a diameter shorter than his
own length since he half curls himself up
TINS way for moment, he sinks down-to
the ground, curled up with the top of his
nose near the root of the tail, and with
nus s. thick brush covering his feet and face.
nave seen foxes lying thus in the early
morning, sometimes with little but their
oiack ear,tips sticking out above the snow
~hlch mad fallen since they lay down. And
nave seen them get UP, yawn and stretch
themselves, calmly scratch themselves with
their hind feet. and trot off. possibly in
search OF some partridge imprisoned in a
snow bank
Up and Down the Hills.
Then l turned and followed the trail
straight to the spruces, through it and
down to the valley. Here it was joined by
ahotner train, also fox's but somewhat
smaiier' probably that of a vixen. At the
point Where the trails met the snow was
much cut up, showing perhaps where the
Ioxes mad romped together when they
met. nave seen two foxes at the mo-
m mem OF meeting romp together like kit
tens, whining and smiling with evident
delight. Sometimes one will lie down and
survey the other, meanwhile wagging his
prush IN way which leaves no doubt of
foxes had gone off together, for the two
trails led away, side by side sometimes
coming together, and sometimes separating.
ior stretches of varying length.
A Curious Trail
The next trail l came across was of a
very curious pattern, and looked as though
1t might have been made by plungiie a.
dumb bell into the snow lengthwise every
two feet. AS a matter of fact, it had
been made by an elk. Every time this
great, heavy beast had taken a stride, his
|,
round hole, then as he leaned forward
before taking the next stride, his COM
paratlYely narrow shin had cut narrow
channel through the crust, and then, as he
drew the foot out, he made another round
| hole, the two holes, of course being con-
nected by the narrow line made by the
SHIN l followed this trail also and 1t led
me stralght to an evergreen wood, on the
border of which there were several hem
| lock trees. Here the elk had sauntered
along, cutting off the hemlock twigs as high
| as he could reach them. leaving the white
| very fond of hemlock, but for some reason
| seldom or never touch spruce or white
pine. They have been known to die of
starvation where nothing but spruce and
| pine was to be had. Rounding a bend in
the woodland, 1 saw the elk himself in
| the distance, quietly browsing. The wind
1 was In my favor, so, under cover of the
trees, approached him. making as little
! noise as l could. He was fine stag with
| one large six-ponted antler. 1t is not vet
| time for the elk to shed their horns. so
| perhaps he had lost his other weapon in
| combat with some rival for male elk often
| fight furiously in the autumn.
| The Band Arrives.
Suddenly from a not far distant hillside
came loud. startling waugh" and look
| ing, saw band of about twenty elk.
| standing deep in the snow, and watching me
| 1ntently. There were two or three young
stays among them, but most of them were
| does and large faWns. A large doe. stand
| ing little apart from the rest, ran for
| twenty yards along the side Of the hill,
| and then, turning to face me- repeated that
| significant waugh" But the big, one
| antlered stag had heard the first warning.
| and was now stretching his long legs in a
! swinging trot as he hurried to join the
| band. AS he reached it, all the elk stood
| for just moment, every nose pointed
| straight at me, and then, wheeling, they
| made for the top of the hill, where they
| paused again for a moment before swing
| ing rapidly down to the valley beyond and
| to the shelter Of the evergreen woodland.
| ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.
MANUFACTURES OF CHARTREUsE.