Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-01-01

from view when he lay down, though
not when he stood. After some turn
ing he settled himself in his bed just
as a steer would.
He could not have chosen a spot bet
ter suited for us. He was nearly at
the edge of the morass, the open space
between the spruce clump where he
was lying and the rocky foothills be-
ing comparatively dry and not much
over a couple Of hundred yards broad;
while some sixty yards from 1t. and
between 1t and the hills, was a little
hummock, tufted with frs, so as to
afford US just the cover we needed.
Keeping back from the edge of the
morass we were able to walk upright
through the forest, until we got the
point where he was lying In a line
with this little hummock. We then
dropped on our hands and knees, and
crept we the soft, wet sward, where
there was nothing to make a noise.
At last we reached the hummock, and
I got into position for a shot, taking a
final look at my faithful 1870 Win.
chester to see that all was in order.
Peering cautiously through the shield
ing evergreens. / at first could not
make out where the moose was lying,
until my eye was caught by b motion
of his big ears, as he occasionally flap
ped them lazily forward. Even then !
could not see his outline; but / knew
where he was. and having pushed my
rifle forward on the moss. l snapped a
dry twig to make him rise. My veins
we're thrilling and my heart beating
with that eager, fierce excitement.
known only to the hunter of big game.
and forming one of the keenest and
strongest of the many pleasures which
with him go to make up 1.-THE wild joy
of living"
AS the sound of the swapping twig
smote his ears the moosF&'os nimbly
to his feet. with a lightness on which
one would not have reckoned In a beast
so heavy of body. He stood broadside
to me for a moment. his ungalnly head
slightly turned. while his ears twitched
and his nostrils snuffed the air. Draw
ing a fine bead against his black hide.
behind his shoulder and two thirds of
his body's depth below his shaggy
withers, l pressed the trigger. He
neither finched nor reeled, but started
with his regular mountaineering trot
through the spruces; yet l knew he
was mine. for the light blood sprang
from both of his nostrils, and he fell
diving on his side before he had gone
thirty rods.
Later ii the fall l was again hunting
among the lofty ranges which continue
towards the southeast the chain of the
Bitter Root. between Idaho and Mon
tana. There were but two of us. and
we were travelling very light. each hay
ing but one pack-pony and the saddle
animal he bestrode. We were high
among the mountains, and followed
no regular trail. Hence u course was
often one of extreme difficulty. Occa
sionally, we took our animals through
the forest near timber line. where the
slopes were not too steep; again we
threaded our way through a line of
glades, or skirted the foothills, in an
open. park country; and now and then
we had to cross stretches of tangled
mountain forest. making but a few
miles a day, at the cost of incredible
toll. and accomplishing even this solely
by virtue of the wonderful docility and
sure-footedness of the ponies, and of
my companions skill with the axe and
thorough knowledge of woodcraft.
Late one cold afternoon we came out
in a high alpine valley in which there
was no sign of any mans having ever
been before us. Down its middle ran
q clear brook. On each side vas a
belt of thick spruce forest. covering
the lower TANKS of the mountains.
The trees came down in points and
isolated clumps to the brook, the banks
of which were thus bordered with open
glades. rendering the travelling easy
and rapid.
Soon after starting up this valley we
entered a beaver meadow of consid-
cradle size. 1t was covered with lush,
rank grass. and the stream wound
through it rather sluggishly In long
curves. which we're fringed by a thick
growth Of dwarfed willows. In one or
two places it broadened into small
ponds, bearing a few lily-pads. This
meadow had been all tramped up by
moose. Trails led hither and thither
through the grass, the willow twigs
were cropped off. and the muddy
banks of the little black ponds were
indented by hoof-marks. Evidently
most of the lilies had been plucked
The footprints were unmistakable; a
moose's foot is longer and simmer
than a caribou's, while on the other
hand it is much larger than an elk's,
and a longer oval in shape.
Most of the sign was old. this high
alpine meadow, surrounded by snow
mountains. having clearly been a ia.
vorite resort for moose in the summer.
but some enormous. fresh tracks told
that one or more old bulls were still
~freQuenting the place.
mn. I.-LA 100 nlrnodv foIfOn onH