The new era., 1909-12-23


* is rare among those who fol-
4 low the hunting trail had
~ been chasing big game on
and off for more than 20
years without any misfortune except
such as were due to accidents in ca
noes or boats, but now nearly came
to an end through catching a COM
mon cold in Telegraph creek. The
weather had been deplorable for eight
days, constant snow and rain, which
drove the cold down into my chest and
on to my lungs. Before reaching
Dease lake l experienced dull pain
at the base of the right lung and felt
a difficulty in breathing. During the
night had slight fever: but as it
started fine on the morning of Septem-
ber 9. resolved to ascend the noun
tains toward Eagle river in the hope
that both the weather and my health
might improve. 1t was a foolish thing
to do: but then We are all foolish
sometimes.
After overcoming many obstacles
we finally made camp at about 1000
feet, where there was good grazing
"
again the following morning
My illness not improving any, and
after encountering many other OBJ
stacles. we finally determined to
return to the lower levels at Dease
lake. Here lay for two days, when,
the sun coming out, the fever sudden
ly left me with only bronchitis to
struggle with. The following day the
glorious sunshine continued and / re-
solved to return to Telegraph creek,
being quite unfit to hunt, and with
that intention set off homewards. 1t
was lovely morning. just the morn
ing for hunting, the hills covered with
snow and even the low ground pow
deTed with thin coating just enough
for tracking. The glistening Tanzilla
danced with reflected lights from the
golden cottonwood and scarlet blue
berry bushes Everything called the
hunter. and yet we were going back
! had sold part of my collection of
birds to do this trip: my wife would
be more distressed than l. Would l
get down the ever-rainy Stikine with
my chest in such a mess? Now |
should never have those splendid
moose and caribou horns to put in the
places | had already made for them
In my museum at home-all these mis-
cradle thoughts crowded the mind as
we sloshed along the trail in the blaz-
ing sun. Yet how good it felt after
that cold wilderness up above and
how thankful ! ought to be that was
alive-nice comfortable reflections
these. more in keeping with 'respecta.
BILE middle age" And yet we are 10th
20 abandon our youthful ambitions.
and defeat is thing few of us can
bear with equanimity.
Yes. it was all an utter failure-but
what is the matter? Albert and the
bell mare have stopped and the hunt
er is gazing intently at something at
his feet Nothing would make him
stop but a moose track and that
fresh one. He not gone far you
come" he said. laconically, and was
OF my horse in a minute. whis-
pered to Jimmy to go on a mile and
camp. and then I slipped into the
heavy brush and took to the undulat-
ing hills. The track was burning
lreSH, anu Tue moose, evidently very
large bull, feeding at intervals as he
walked. A few hundred yards and we
saw such unmistakable signs that our
quarry was close In front of us that
the utmost caution was necessary. AL
bert kept glancing to left and right
as the wood became more open.
Getting bout time to lie down." he
said.
Presently we emerged into an open
space of burnt timber, some standing
and some fallen, great mass of noisy
debris that made still" hunting even
in moccasins an impossibility. We
paused as we were about to enter 1t.
when there was great crash to our
left.
"Look-shoot quick!" said the In
dian: but knew at once what 1t was.
and my rife was already up trying to
find an open space between that world
OF wooden spilikins where my bullet
could go to its mark 1t was a poor
chance. as the bull silently moved