t out each day upon long hunting expeditions, from which they rarely
returned before nightfall. Sometimes they brought with them a deer, of
the caribou or reindeer species, and the "woodland" variety, which were
plenty at this place. They only carried to camp the best parts with the
skin, as the flesh of the woodland caribou is not much esteemed. It is
larger than the other kind--the "Barren Ground caribou," weighing about
one hundred and fifty pounds; but both its venison and hide are of
inferior quality to those of the latter species. Sometimes our hunters
killed smaller game; and on several occasions they returned without
having emptied their guns at all. But there was one day that made up
for several--one grand day when they were extremely successful, and on
which they killed a whole herd of moose, consisting of five
individuals--the old bull, a spike buck--that is, a young buck, whose
horns had not yet got antlers upon them--the cow, and two calves. These
they had tracked and followed for a long distance, and had succeeded, at
length, in running into a valley where the snow was exceedingly deep,
and where the moose became entangled. There had been a shower of rain
the day before that had melted the surface of the snow; and this had
again frozen into an icy crust, upon which the deer lacerated their
ankles at every plunge, leaving a track of blood behind them as they
ran. Under these circumstances they were easily trailed, and Basil and
Norman, skimming along upon their snow-shoes, soon came up with them,
and shot first one and then another, until the whole herd were stretched
in the valley. They then butchered them, and hung the hides and
quarters upon high branches, so as to secure them from wolves and
wolverenes. When the job was finished, the whole place looked like a
great slaughter-yard! Next day a rude sledge was constructed; and the
voyageurs, returning in full force, transported the meat to camp. Huge
fires were kindled outside the hut, and several days were spent in
cutting up and drying the flesh. Had our travellers been certain that
the frost would have continued all winter, this would not have been
necessary--since the meat was already frozen as hard as a brick. But
they knew that a sudden thaw would spoil it; and, as there was plenty of
good firewood on the spot, they were not going to run the risk of losing
it in that way.

They had now enough provision to last them for months; and huntin