together, and for
miles across the country."

From this circumstance the Indians of these parts call it the "alarm
bird," or "bird of warning," because it often makes them aware of the
approach either of their enemies or of strangers. Sometimes it alarms
and startles the game, while the hunter is crawling up to it; and I have
known it to bother myself for a while of a day, when I was after grouse.
It's a great favourite with the Indians though--as it often guides them
to deer, or musk-oxen, by its flying and screaming above where these
animals are feeding.

Just in the same way it guided me. I knew, from the movements of the
bird, that there must be something among the rocks. I couldn't tell
what, but I hoped it would turn out to be some creature that was
eatable; so I changed my intention, and struck out for the place where
it was.

It was a good half mile from the hill, and it cost me considerable
clambering over the rocks, before I reached the ground. I thought to get
near enough to see what it was, without drawing the bird upon myself,
and I crouched from hummock to hummock; but the sharp-eyed creature
caught sight of me, and came screeching over my head. I kept on without
noticing it; but as I was obliged to go round some large rocks, I lost
the direction, and soon found myself wandering back into my own trail.

I could do nothing, therefore, until the bird should leave me, and fly
back to whatever had first set it a-going. In order that it might do so,
I crept in under a big stone that jutted out, and lay quiet a bit,
watching it. It soon flew off, and commenced wheeling about in the air,
not more than three hundred yards from where I lay. This time I took
good bearings, and then went on. I did not care for the bird to guide me
any longer, for I observed there was an open spot ahead, and I was sure
that there I could see something. And sure enough I did. On peeping
round the end of a rock, I spied a herd of about fifty deer.

They were reindeer, of course, as there are no others upon the 'Barren
Grounds,' and I saw they were all does--for at this season the bucks
keep altogether in the woods. Some of them were pawing the snow to get
at the moss, while others were standing by the rocks, and tearing off
the lichens with their teeth. It so happened that I had the wind of
them, else they would have scented me and made off, for I was within a
hundred yards of the nearest. I was not afraid of their taking fright,