The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-04-04

ODtlflO WOOdS pafny lOl
~ camping and fishing
M M cruise, but chiefly with the
hope Of obtaining photo
grsDhs of big game. for he was an
enthusiastic camera hunter. In uppey
Muskoka lie picked up guide, and
they went up the Smoke River in two
canoes, travelling slowly and making
frequent balts. while Ellis fshed or
still-hunted with his camera.
But in that region the game had
stalked. and they portrayed over a
height of land 10 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 were more sue
cessful. He obtained several good
snap shots at deer, but the moose
were too wary for him.
Moose were plentiful enough in that
e 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 a finger TO have
photographed that duel.
With his guides assistance, he tried
"jacklighting" on the small lakes, with
q lantern in the bow of his canoe, a
screen behind it, and the camera pre-
pared with a fash-light in the stern
He thus secured several excellent
flash-light photographs of deer, but no
. moose. 'st'r
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 in the park, but
he padded over it with much curios-
aty.
he was at once struck by the fact
that some one had been meddling with
It The great rough dam, a rick of
mud and brush, had been broken, 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
Sace; and as he padded alongside one
o. them, he noticed that great hole
had been torn in it, partly under wa
ter, which had not been repaired at
all. The other lodges showed traces of
injury, but had been made serviceable
again. Probably the mischief was the
work of an Indian trapper, who had
broken the dam to lower the water
and cut the lodges to get at the beaver
although the fur was of little value
at that season.
The beavers, or what was left of
them, had not deserted, however, and
pieces Of gnawed sticks scattered about
the shore showed that they had been
working hard to repair the damage.
They labor chiefly at night, and it oc-
CURED to Ellis that he might ambush
himself beside the dam till dark, and
obtain fiash-light picture of beavers
at work.
1t was then nearly sunset, and he
pushed his canoe deep among the
alders that fringed the water and lay
down in the stern. The sun went slow
ly out of sight, but the .ong northern
twilight still fingered. As dusk came
on, one or i-7o beavers came out of
hiding, showing their black heads be-
sides the lodges; but these glimpses
were insufficient. 1t grew cold, and
Ellis 'hivered in the cramped canoe.
There was no moon, and the sky was
cloudy. He could no longer make out
the beaver-houses or the dam, but sig
nificant sounds began TO arise
-splashes and ripplings, and once
swimming animal brushed the stern
Of the canoe.
Ellis was thinking Of setting off q
Mash-light, and trusting to luck to
catch something in focus, when, like
q sudden thunderclap, there burst out
the deep roar of bull moose from
the other end Of the pond, not two
hundred yards away. The sound was
30 terrific that Ellis covered. The
very leaves of the forest seemed to
vibrate at its tremendous volume.
Almost Immediately the challenge
was answered by sonorous below in
the same direction, but apparently
nearly a mile distant. TO which the
challenger responded with a roar of
rage. Ellis heard the great animal
threshing his antlers against the trees
and smashing up the underbrush, and
he thrilled at the possibility of n duel
actually taking place in his presence,
even IL he could not see it.
For some minutes the distant animal
was silent, while the nearer moose
continued to tear up the saplings,