The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-03-16

h al cruise, but chiefly with the
hope Of obtaining photo
graphs of biz game, for he was ~
enthusiastic camera hunter. In upper
Muokol,a lie picked up guide, and
they went MP the Smoke River in two
canoes, travelling slowly and making
frequent haltS. while Ellis iishcd OF
still-huntcd with his camera.
But in that region the game had
been hunted too much to be easily
stalked. ana they portrayed over i
height Of land to another system OF
streams that carried them into the Al.
gonQuin National Park
In this great forest preserve where
hunting is strictly prohibited. game OF
all sorts has multiplied exceedingly
and here Ellis efforts wert more sue
ceSsfu,. He obtained several good
snap shots at deer, but the moose
were TOO wary for him.
Moose were plentiful enough in that
district. as the great tracks at every
pOnd-side showed II was their sea.
son of love and battle. and the dis.
tant believing of the challenging bulls
could be heard almost nightly.
Once Ellis came upon spot in the
forest where the ground was torn and
trampled. and Sprinkled with blood
and wisps of coarse hair, He would
almost have given finger 10 have
photographed that duel.
With his guides assistance, he tried
'jacklishtinG" on the small lakes, with
lantern in the bow OF his canoe. 4
screen behind il. and the camera pre-
pared with 4 tiaSh-!ight in the stern.
IL thus secured several excellent
fash-iight photographs of deer, but no
moose.
He was one afternoon exploring the
windings of small and unusually
tranquil stream when he came out up-
on beaver pond. 1t was not the first
he had seen. for beaver are growing
plentiful once more i'm the park but
he padded over it with much CurioS-
ity.
He was ., once struck by the fact
that some one had been mcddlin. Will
IT. The great rough dam. rick of
mud and b rSh, had been urohcn, and
was not yet completely repaired. In
the deepest water stood the lodges.
four OF them. like stacks of mud-plaS.
tered bruShwood half above the sur
face; and rs he padded alongside one
OF them. he noticed that Il great hole
had been torn in it, partly under WA
ter. which had not been repaired at
all. Tie other lodges showed traces Of
injury. lat had been made Scrviccahlc
again. Probably the mischief was the
work Of an Indian trappcr, who had
broken the dam 10 lower tie water
AMI cut the lodges to Get at the beaver.
although the fur was of little value
az that season.
The beavers. or what was left OF
them, nad not deserted. howc,cr. and
pieces of guawed sticks scattered about
the shore showed that they had been
working hard 20 repair the damage.
They labor chiefly Mt night ana it oc-
CURED 10 Ellis that lac might ambush
himself beside the dam till dark. and
obtain a tash-iight picture of beavers
IL work
II was then nearly sunset. and he
pushed his canoe deep among the
alderS that 'r!nScd The water and lay
down in the stern The sun went slow
~ out of siCht. but the -ong northern
twilight stu fingered. As dusk came
on one or 20 beavers came out OF
hiding. showing their black heads be
GtInG slA l. .f,p... I,tI fhn-n ,,l,
were insufficient. 1t grew cold and
Ellis 'nivercd in the cIampcd canoe.
There was no moon. and the sky was
cloudy. He could no lOngec make out
the beayer-hOu,eS or Tie dam. 1ut sig
nidcant sounds began 10 arise
--Splashes AMI r.ppliug>. and once q
swimming animal brushed tA stern
of the canoe.
Ellis was thinking OF setting of 4
hash-light. and trusting 10 luck tt
catch something in focus. when. liz,
a sudden thuuderclap. there burst on
the deep roar Of bull moose from
the other end OF the pond. not tive
hundred yards away. The sound wa,
so terrific thct Ellis covered I'll.
very leaves ot the forest seemed {,
vibrnte ut it, tremendous volume.
Almost Immediately the challens,
was answered by sonorous below il
the same direction. but APPARENT,
nearly mile distant. 10 which In
challenger responded with roar O
rage. Ellis heard the great animu
threshing his altlers against the tree
and smashing up the underbrush. an
he thrilled at the possibility OF due
actually taking place In his preScnc,
even Il he could not see il.
For some minutes The distant aniui
was silent. while the nearer moos
continued 10 tear up the sapling