by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.
HUNTING THE MOOSE.
While crossing the marshy bottom through which our road led, a singularhoof-track was observed in the mud. Some were of opinion that it was atrack of the great moose-deer, but the hunter-naturalist, betterinformed, scouted the idea--declaring that moose never ranged, so far tothe south. It was no doubt a very large elk that had made the track,and to this conclusion all at length came.
The great moose-deer, however, was an interesting theme, and we rodealong conversing upon it.
The moose (_Cervus alces_) is the largest of the deer kind. The male isordinarily as large as a mule; specimens have been killed of stillgreater dimensions. One that has been measured stood seventeen bands,and weighed 1200 pounds; it was consequently larger than most horses.The females are considerably smaller than the males.
The colour of the moose, like that of other animals of the deer kind,varies with the season; it varies also with the sex. The male istawny-brown over the back, sides, head, and thighs; this changes to adarker hue in winter, and in very old animals it is nearly black; hencethe name "black elk," which is given in some districts to the moose.The under parts of the body are light-coloured, with a tinge of yellowor soiled white.
The female is of a sandy-brown colour above, and beneath almost white.The calves are sandy-brown, but never spotted, as are the fawns of thecommon deer.
The moose is no other than the elk of Northern Europe; but the elk ofAmerica (_Cervus Canadensis_), as already stated, is altogether adifferent animal. These two species may be mistaken for each other, inthe season when their antlers are young, or in the velvet; then they arenot unlike to a superficial observer. But the animals are rarelyconfounded--only the names. The American elk is not found indigenous inthe eastern hemisphere, although he is the ornament of many a lordlypark.
The identity of the moose with the European elk is a fact that leads tocurious considerations. A similar identity exists between the caribouof Canada and the reindeer of Northern Europe--they are both the _Cervustarandus_ of Pliny. So also with the polar hear of both hemispheres,the arctic, fox, and several other animals. Hence we infer, that thereexisted at some period either a land connection, or some other means ofcommunication, between the northern parts of both continents.
Besides being the largest, the moose is certainly the most ungraceful ofthe deer family. His head is long, out of all proportion; so, too, arehis legs; while his neck is short in an inverse ratio. His ears arenearly a foot in length, asinine, broad, and slouching; his eyes aresmall; and his muzzle square, with a deep _sulcus_ in the middle, whichgives it the appearance of being bifid. The upper lip overhangs theunder by several inches, and is highly prehensile. A long tuft ofcoarse hair grows out of an excrescence on the throat, in the anglebetween the head and neck. This tuft is observed both in the male andfemale, though only when full-grown. In the young, the excrescence isnaked.
An erect mane, somewhat resembling that of a cropped Shetland pony, runsfrom the base of the horns over the withers, and some way down the back.This adds to the stiff and ungainly appearance of the animal.
The horns of the moose are a striking characteristic: they are palmatedor flattened out like shovels, while along the edge rise the points orantlers. The width from horn to horn at their tops is often more thanfour feet, and the breadth of a single one, antlers included, isfrequently above thirty inches. A single pair has been known to weighas much as 60 pounds avoirdupois!
Of course this stupendous head-dress gives the moose quite an imposingappearance; and it is one of the wonders of the naturalist what can beits object.
The horns are found only on the males, and attain their full size onlywhen these have reached their seventh year. In the yearlings appear twoknobs, about an inch in length; in two-year-olds, these knobs havebecome spikes a foot high; in the third year they begin to palmate, andantlers rise along their edges; and so on, until the seventh year, whenthey become fully developed. They are annually caducous, however, aswith the common deer, so that these immense appendages are the growth ofa few weeks!
The haunts and habits of the moose differ materially from those of otherdeer. He cannot browse upon level ground without kneeling or wideninghis legs to a great extent: this difficulty arises from the extremelength of his legs, and the shortness of his neck. He can do betterupon the sides of steep hills, and he is often seen in such placesgrazing _upward_.
Grass, however, is not his favourite food: he prefers the twigs andleaves of trees--such as birch, willow, and maple. There is one speciesof the last of which he is extremely fond; it is that known as stripedmaple (_Acer striatum_), or, in the language of hunters, "moose-wood."He peels off the bark from old trees of this sort, and feeds upon it, aswell as upon several species of mosses with which the arctic regionsabound. It will be seen that in these respects he resembles thegiraffe: he may be regarded as the giraffe of the frigid zone.
The moose loves the forest; he is rarely found in the open ground--onthe prairie, never.
On open level ground, he is easily overtaken by the hunter, as he makesbut a poor run in such a situation. His feet are tender, and his windshort; besides, as we have already said, he cannot browse there withoutgreat inconvenience. He keeps in the thick forest and the impenetrableswamp, where he finds the food most to his liking.
In summer, he takes to the water, wading into lakes and rivers, andfrequently swimming across both. This habit renders him at that seasonan easy prey to his enemies, the Indian hunters, for in the water he iseasily killed. Nevertheless, he loves to bury himself in the water,because along the shores of lakes and margins of rivers he finds thetall reed-grass, and the pond-lily--the latter a particular favouritewith him. In this way, too, he rids himself of the biting gnats andstinging mosquitoes that swarm there; and also cools his blood, feveredby parasites, larvae, and the hot sun.
The female moose produces one, two, and sometimes three calves at abirth; this is in April or May. The period of gestation is nine-months.
During the summer, they are seen in families--that is, a bull, a cow,and two calves. Sometimes the group includes three or four cows; butthis is rare.
Occasionally, when the winter comes on, several of these family partiesunite, and form herds of many individuals. When the snow is deep, oneof these herds will tread down a space of several acres, in which theywill be found browsing on the bark and twigs of the trees. A place ofthis sort is termed by the hunters a "moose-yard;" and in such asituation the animals become an easy prey. They are shot down on thespot, and those that attempt to escape through the deep snow areovertaken and brought to bay by dogs. This can only happen, however,when the snow is deep and crusted with frost; otherwise, the hunters andtheir dogs, as well as their heavier game, would sink in it. When thesnow is of old standing, it becomes icy on the surface through the heatof the sun, rain, and frost; then it will bear the hunter, but not thedeer. The latter break through it, and as these animals aretender-hoofed, they are lacerated at every jump. They soon feel thepain, give up the attempt to escape, and come to bay.
It is dangerous for dogs to approach them when in this mood. Theystrike with the hoofs of their forefeet, a single blow of which oftenknocks the breath out of the stoutest deer-hound. There are manyrecords of hunters having been sacrificed in a similar manner.
Where the moose are plentiful, the Indians hunt them by pounding. Thisis done simply by inclosing a large tract of woods, with a funnel-shapedentrance leading into the inclosure. The wide mouth of the entranceembraces a path which the deer habitually take; upon this they aredriven by the Indians, deployed in a wide curve, until they enter thefunnel, and the pound itself. Here there are nooses set, in which manyare snared, while others are shot down by the hunters who follow. Thismethod is more frequently employed with the caribou, which are muchsmaller, and more gregarious than the moose-deer.
We have already said that the moose are easily captured in summer, whenthey reso
rt to the lakes and rivers to wade and swim. The biting ofgnats and mosquitoes renders them less fearful of the approach of man.The Indians then attack them in their canoes, and either shoot or spearthem while paddling alongside.
They are much less dangerous to assail in this way than the elk or eventhe common deer (_Cervus Virginianus_), as the latter, when brought incontact with the frail birch-canoe, often kick up in such a manner as toupset it, or break a hole through its side. On the contrary, the mooseis frequently caught by the antlers while swimming, and in this waycarried alongside without either difficulty or danger.
Although in such situations these huge creatures are easily captured, itis far otherwise as a general rule. Indeed, few animals are more shythan the moose. Its sight is acute; so, too, with its sense of smell;but that organ in which it chiefly confides is the ear. It can hear theslightest noise to a great distance; and the hunter's foot among thedead leaves, or upon the frozen snow-crust, often betrays him longbefore he can creep within range. They are, however, frequently killedby the solitary hunter stealing upon them, or "approaching," as it istermed. To do this, it is absolutely necessary to keep to leeward ofthem, else the wind would carry to their quick ears even the cautioustread of the Indian hunter.
There is one other method of hunting the moose often practised by theIndians--that is, trailing them with _rackets_, or snow-shoes, andrunning them down. As I had partaken of this sport I was able to givean account of it to my companions.
"In the winter of 18--, I had occasion to visit a friend who lived inthe northern part of the state of Maine. My friend was a backwoodsettler; dwelt in a comfortable log-house; raised corn, cattle, andhogs; and for the rest, amused himself occasionally with a hunt in theneighbouring woods. This he could do without going far from home, asthe great forests of pine, birch, and maple trees on all sidessurrounded his solitary clearing, and his nearest neighbour was abouttwenty miles off. Literally, my friend lived in the woods, and thesports of the chase were with him almost a necessity; at all events,they were an everyday occupation.
"Up to the time of my visit, I had never seen a moose, except inmuseums. I had never been so far north upon the American Continent; andit must be remembered, that the geographical range of the moose isconfined altogether to the cold countries. It is only in the extremenorthern parts of the United States that he appears at all. Canada,with the vast territories of the Hudson's Bay Company, even to theshores of the Arctic Sea, is the proper _habitat_ of this animal.
"I was familiar with bears; cougars I had killed; elk and fallow deer Ihad driven; 'coons and 'possums I had treed; in short, I had been onhunting terms with almost every game in America except the moose. I wasmost eager, therefore, to have a shot at one of these creatures, and Iwell remember the delight I experienced when my friend informed me therewere moose in the adjacent woods.
"On the day after my arrival, we set forth in search of them, each armedwith a hunting-knife and a heavy deer-gun. We went afoot; we could notgo otherwise, as the snow lay to the depth of a yard, and a horse wouldhave plunged through it with difficulty. It was an old snow, moreover,thickly crusted, and would have maimed our horses in a few minutes. We,with our broad rackets, could easily skim along without sinking belowthe surface.
"I know not whether you have ever seen a pair of rackets, or Indiansnow-shoes, but their description is easy. You have seen the racketsused in ball-play. Well, now, fancy a hoop, not of circular form, butforced into an elongated pointed ellipse, very much after the shape ofthe impression that a capsized boat would make in snow; fancy this aboutthree feet long, and a foot across at its widest, closely netted overwith gut or deer-thong, with bars in the middle to rest the foot upon,and a small hole to allow play to the toes, and you will have some ideaof a snow-shoe. Two of these--right and left--make a pair. They aresimply strapped on to your boots, and then their broad surface sustainsyou, even when the snow is comparatively soft, but perfectly when it isfrozen.
"Thus equipped, my friend and I set out _a pied_, followed by a coupleof stout deer-hounds. We made directly for a part of the woods where itwas known to my friend that the striped maple grew in great plenty. Ithas been stated already, that the moose are particularly fond of thesetrees, and there we would be most likely to fall in with them.
"The striped maple is a beautiful deciduous little tree or shrub,growing to the height of a dozen feet or so in its natural _habitat_.When cultivated, it often reaches thirty feet. There is one atSchonbrunn, near Vienna, forty feet high, but this is an exception, andis the largest known. The usual height is ten or twelve feet, and it ismore often the underwood of the forest than the forest itself. Whenthus situated, under the shade of loftier trees, it degenerates almostto the character of a shrub.
"The trunk and branches of the striped maple are covered with a smoothgreen bark, longitudinally marked with light and dark stripes, by whichthe tree is easily distinguished from others, and from which it takesits name. It has other trivial names in different parts of the country.In New York state, it is called `dogwood;' but improperly so, as thereal dogwood (_Cornus florida_) is a very different tree. It is knownalso as `false dogwood,' and `snake-barked maple.' The name`moose-wood' is common among the hunters and frontiers-men for reasonsalready given. Where the striped maple is indigenous, it is one of thefirst productions that announces the approach of spring. Its buds andleaves, when beginning to unfold, are of a roseate hue, and soon changeto a yellowish green; the leaves are thick, cordate, rounded at thebase, with three sharp lobes at the other extremity, and finelyserrated. They are usually four or five inches in length and breadth.The tree flowers in May and June, and its flowers are yellow-green,grouped on long peduncles. The fruit, like all other maples, consistsof _samarae_ or `keys;' it is produced in great abundance, and is ripein September or October.
"The wood is white and finely grained; it is sometimes used bycabinet-makers as a substitute for holly, in forming the lines withwhich they inlay mahogany.
"In Canada, and those parts of the United States where it grows in greatplenty, the farmers in spring turn out their cattle and horses to feedupon its leaves and young shoots, of which these animals are extremelyfond; the more so, as it is only in very cold regions that it grows, andthe budding of its foliage even precedes the springing of the grass.Such is the tree which forms the favourite browsing of the moose.
"To return to my narrative.
"After we had shuffled about two miles over the snow, my friend and Ientered a tract of heavy timber, where the striped maple formed theunderwood. It did not grow regularly, but in copses or small thickets.We had already started some small game, but declined following it, as wewere bent only on a moose-chase.
"We soon fell in with signs that indicated the propinquity of theanimals we were in search of. In several of the thickets, the mapleswere stripped of their twigs and bark, but this had been done previousto the falling of the snow. As yet, there were no tracks: we were notlong, however, before this welcome indication was met with. On crossinga glade where there was but little snow, the prints of a great splithoof were seen, which my friend at once pronounced to be those of themoose.
"We followed this trail for some distance, until it led into deeper snowand a more retired part of the forest. The tracks were evidently freshones, and those, as my friend asserted, of an old bull.
"Half-a-mile farther on, they were joined by others; and the trailbecame a broken path through the deep snow, as if it had been made byfarm-cattle following each other in single file. Four moose had passed,as my friend--skilled in woodcraft--confidently asserted, although Icould not have told that from the appearance of the trail. He wentstill farther in his `reckoning,' and stated that they were a bull, acow, and two nine-months' calves.
"`You shall soon see,' he said, perceiving that I was somewhatincredulous. `Look here!' he continued, bending down and pressing thebroken snow with his fingers; `they are quite fresh--made within thehour. Speak low--the cattle
can't be far off. Yonder, as I live!yonder they are--hush!'
"My friend, as he spoke, pointed to a thicket about three hundred yardsdistant; I looked in that direction, but at first could perceive nothingmore than the thickly-growing branches of the maples.
"After a moment, however, I could trace among the twigs the long darkoutlines of a strange animal's back, with a huge pair of palmated hornsrising above the underwood. It was the bull-moose--there was nomistaking him for any other creature. Near him other forms--three ofthem--were visible: these were of smaller stature, and I could see thatthey were hornless. They were the cow and calves; and the herd was madeup, as my companion had foretold, of these four individuals.
"We had halted on the moment, each of us holding one of the dogs, andendeavouring to quiet them, as they already scented the game. We soonsaw that it was of no use remaining where we were, as the herd was fullythree hundred yards from us, far beyond the reach of even our heavydeer-guns.
"It would be of no use either to attempt stealing forward. There was nocover that would effectually conceal us, for the timber around was notlarge, and we could not, therefore, make shift with the tree-trunks.
"There was no other mode, then, but to let the dogs free of theirleashes, and dash right forward. We knew we should not get a shot untilafter a run; but this would not be long, thought we, as the snow was inperfect order for our purpose.
"Our dogs were therefore unleashed, and went off with a simultaneous`gowl,' while my friend and I followed as fast as we could.
"The first note of the deer-hounds was a signal for the herd, and wecould hear their huge bodies crashing through the underwood, as theystarted away.
"They ran across some open ground, evidently with the intention ofgaining the heavy timber beyond. On this ground there was but littlesnow; and as we came out through the thicket we had a full view of thenoble game. The old bull was in the lead, followed by the others in astring. I observed that none of them galloped--a gait they rarelypractise--but all went in a shambling trot, which, however, was a veryfast one, equal to the speed of a horse. They carried their headshorizontally, with their muzzles directed forward, while the hugeantlers of the bull leaned back upon his shoulders as he ran. Anotherpeculiarity that struck me--the divisions of their great split hoofs, asthey lifted them from the ground, met with a cracking sound, like thebursting of percussion-caps; and the four together rattled as they ran,as though a string of Christmas crackers had been touched off. I haveoften heard a similar cracking from the hoofs of farm-cattle; but withso many hoofs together, keeping up the fire incessantly, it produced avery odd impression upon me.
"In a short time they were out of sight, but we could hear the baying ofthe dogs as the latter closed upon them, and we followed, guided by thetrail they had made.
"We had skated along for nearly a mile, when the howl of the houndsbegan to sound through the woods with more abrupt and fiercer echoes.We knew by this that the moose had been brought to bay, and we hurriedforward, eager to have a shot.
"On arriving at the place, we found that only the old bull had madestand, and he was successfully engaged in keeping off the dogs, bothwith feet and horns. The others had gone forward, and were out of view.
"The bull, on seeing us approach, once more took the trot, and, followedby the dogs, was soon out of sight.
"On reaching the spot where he had made his temporary halt, we foundthat his trail there parted from that of the other three, as he hadtaken almost an opposite direction. Whether he had done soconsiderately, in order to lead the dogs away from his weakercompanions, I know not; perhaps our sudden appearance had terrified himinto confusion, and he had struck out without looking before him.
"We did not reflect on these points at the time. My friend, whoprobably was thinking more about the meat than the sport, withouthalting a moment, followed the trail of the cow and calves; while I,guided by different motives, took after the bull. I was in too great ahurry to heed some admonitions which were given by my friend as weparted company. As our trails separated, I heard him shouting to me tomind what I was about; but the courses we followed soon carried usbeyond earshot or sight of each other.
"I followed the chase about half a mile farther, guided by the tracks,as well as by the baying of the hounds. Again this assumed the fierceangry tone that denoted a battle going on between the dogs and the deer.
"As I neared the spot, the voices of the former seemed to grow feebler;then there was a continued howling, as if the hounds were being roughlyhandled, and one of them I noticed was altogether silent.
"On arriving on the scene, which I did soon after, I learned the causeof this change of tune. One of the dogs met me running back on thetrail on three legs only, and woefully mangled. The moose was standingin a snow-pit, which had been trodden out by the animals while battling,and near his feet lay the other dog, mutilated in a most fearful manner,and evidently quite dead. The bull, in his rage, still continued toassail the dead body of the hound, rising and pouncing down upon it withhis fore-hoofs until the ribs cracked under the concussion!
"On seeing me, he again struck into the snow, and made off; I saw,however, that his limbs were much lacerated by the frozen crust, andthat he ran slowly, leaving red tracks behind him.
"I did not stop by the dogs--one being dead, and the survivor but littlebetter--but kept on after the game.
"We had now got into a tract where the snow lay of more than usualdepth, and my snow-shoes enabled me to skim along faster than the moosehimself, that I could easily perceive was growing feebler at everyplunge. I saw that I was gaining upon him, and would soon be alongside.The woods through which we were passing were pretty open, and I couldnote every movement of the chase.
"I had got within a hundred yards of him, and was thinking of firing athim as he ran, when all at once he came to a stop, and wheeling suddenlyround, stood facing me. His huge antlers were thrown back until theytouched his withers; his mane stood erect; all the hair upon his bodyseemed to bristle forward; and his whole attitude was one of rage anddefiance: he was altogether as formidable-looking an enemy as it hadever been my lot to encounter.
"My first thought, on getting near enough, was to raise my rifle andfire, which I did. I aimed for his chest, that was fair before me; butI shot wide, partly because my fingers were numbed with cold, and partlybecause the sun at the moment flashed in my eyes as I glanced along thebarrel. I hit the moose, however, but in a part that was not mortal--inthe shoulder.
"The shot enraged him, and without waiting for me to re-load, he dashedmadly forward and towards me; a few plunges brought him up, and I had noresource but to get behind a tree.
"Fortunately there were some large pines in the neighbourhood, andbehind one of these I took shelter--not, however, before the enragedanimal had almost impaled me upon his antlers. As I slipped behind thetrunk, he was following me so close that his horns came in contact withthe tree, causing it to vibrate by the terrific shock. He himself drewback a pace or two, and then stopped and stood fast, eyeing the treewith sullen rage; his eyes glared, and his long stiff hair seemed toquiver as he threatened.
"In the hope that he would allow me time, I again bethought me ofre-loading my gun. What was my chagrin to find that I had not a grainof powder about me! My friend and I had started with but onepowder-flask, and that he had carried with him. My gun was as uselessas a bar of iron.
"What was to be done? I dared not, approach the bull with my knife: mylife would not have been worth five minutes' purchase. His horns andgreat sharp hoofs were weapons superior to mine. He might throw me downat the first outset, gore me to death, or trample me in the snow. Idared not risk such an encounter.
"After reflecting for some time, I concluded that it would be wiser forme to leave the moose where he was, and take the back track without him.But how was I to get away from the spot? I was still behind the tree,and the enraged bull was within three feet of it on the other side,without showing any symptoms of reti
ring. Should I step either to oneside or the other, he would launch himself upon me, and the result wouldbe my certain destruction.
"I now began to perceive that I was in a fix--regularly `treed,' infact; and the knowledge was anything but cheering. I did not know howlong I might be kept so; perhaps the moose might not leave me at all, oruntil hunger had done its work. The wound I had given him had certainlyrendered him desperate and vengeful, and he appeared as if determined toprotract the siege indefinitely.
"After remaining nearly an hour in this situation, I began to grow angryand impatient. I had shouted to frighten the bull, but to no purpose; Ihad shouted, and at the top of my voice, in hopes that I might be heardby my friend, but there was no response except the echoes of my ownvoice borne hoarsely through the aisles of the winter forest. I grewimpatient of my odd captivity, and determined to stand it no longer.
"On stealing a glance behind me, I perceived a tree as large as the onewhich sheltered me. I resolved to make for that one, as it would atleast not render my situation worse should I reach it in safety. This Ieffected, but not without having my speed put to the test, for the moosefollowed so close as almost to touch me with his brow-antlers. Oncebehind this new tree, I was no better off than before, except that itbrought me some twenty paces nearer home. The moose--still stood infront of me only a few feet distant, and threatening as fiercely asever.
"After waiting some minutes for my breath, I selected a third tree inthe right direction, and made for it in a similar manner, the moosefollowing as before.
"Another rest and another run brought me behind a fresh tree, andanother and another, until I must have made a full mile through thewoods, still followed by my implacable and untiring enemy. I knew,however, that I was going homeward, for I guided myself by the trailwhich we had made in the chase.
"I was in hopes that I might make the whole back-journey in this way,when all at once I perceived that the heavy timber came to an end, and awide, almost open tract intersected the country, over this the treeswere small stunted pines, far apart, and offering no hope of shelterfrom my relentless persecutor.
"I had no alternative now but to remain where I was, and await thearrival of my friend, who, I presumed, would come after me as soon as hehad finished his own hunt.
"With this dubious hope, I kept my stand, although I was ready to dropwith fatigue. To add to my misery, it commenced snowing. I saw thiswith feelings akin to terror, for I knew that the snow would soon blindthe trail; and how, then, was my friend to follow it, and find me? Thebull still stood before me in the same threatening attitude,occasionally snorting, striking the ground with his hoofs, and ready tospring after me whenever I should move. Ever as I changed the attitudeof my body, he would start forward again, until I could almost touch himwith the muzzle of my gun.
"These manoeuvres on his part suggested to me an experiment, and Iwondered that I had not thought of it before. I was not long inresolving to carry it out. I was armed with a stout hunting-knife, abowie; it was pointed as sharp as a needle; and could I only haveventured near enough to the bull, I would soon have settled the disputewith him. The idea now occurred to me of converting my bowie into alance by splicing it upon the barrel of my gun. With this I had hopesof being able to reach my powerful assailant without coming within rangeeither of his hoofs or horns.
"The lance was soon made, a pair of buckskin gaiters which I worefurnished me with thongs. My gun happened to be a long rifle; and theknife, spliced firmly to the muzzle, rendered it a formidable weapon, sothat in a few minutes I stood in a better attitude than I had assumedfor hours before.
"The affair soon came to an issue. As I had anticipated, by showingmyself a little to one side of the tree, the bull sprang forward, and Iwas enabled, by a dexterous thrust, to plant the knife between his ribs.It entered his heart, and the next moment I saw him rolling over, andkicking the crimsoned snow around him in the struggles of death.
"I had scarcely completed my victory, when a loud whoop sounded in myears, and looking up, I saw my friend making towards me across the openground. He had completed his chase, having killed all three, cut themup, and hung their meat upon the trees, to be sent for on our return tothe house.
"By his aid the bull was disposed of in a similar manner; and being nowsatisfied with our day's sport--though my friend very much regretted theloss of his fine dog--we commenced shuffling homeward."
