back, leading the procession. About noon I perceived, directly in our line of march, a large herd of elk, and I made a signal to the men to halt. I then despatched them to give the elk a volley, bidding them to be very careful in approaching, while I, with my game leg, rode to windward to endeavour to get a shot as they passed. Having ensconced myself snugly in ambush, I presently heard a rustling in the bushes, and a huge buck came bounding out close to me. I could have keeled him over with a load of No. 6, but I forbore to pull trigger on him, lest I should spoil the sport of my party, and he got safely off. In two minutes after the whole herd of elk went dashing past, but at too great a distance for me to shoot. The men, as I feared, made a bungling attempt to get near the elk, and had been discovered. There must have been a hundred or more in this band, and we watched their movements with lively pleasure as they bounded over the prairie. Alex. F. and Jack Frazer joined us in the evening, having three buffalo tails pendant at their belts-trophies of the number slain. They had fallen in with several large droves of buffalo, and might have killed many more, but as the meat could not be taken, they very properly abstained from useless slaughter.

"We hastened homewards as fast as our trammelled condition would allow, only now and then shooting a few ducks or other wildfowl, wherewith to make a bouillon in the evening. On the 22d day after our departure from home, we reached our domiciles, having, in the interval, killed sixteen buffalo, three elk, eight raccoons, twelve wolves, seven geese, two hundred and forty-four ducks, and eighty grouse, besides sundry other small snaps not worth recording."

18

MOOSE HUNTING.

In the year 1842, twenty-three officers belonging to the Cold-ra stream and Grenadier Guards, stationed in Canada, killed during a short hunting tour, ninety-three Moose. The Hon. Capt. GRIMSTON killed also a Caraboo, the only one shot by any of the hunters, though their tracks were seen by several of them. None of the parties were absent more than fourteen days from the garrison, of which not above six or eight were spent on the hunting grounds.

In the winter, great numbers of moose are killed in Hamilton and other interior counties of New York. Not less than eight were killed within forty miles of Lake Pleasant, in the winter of 1844-5. The hunter is generally obliged to follow them on snow-shoes, and they frequently will trot for three days, before being overtaken and brought to bay.

The annexed descriptions of moose hunting, as practised in Canada, are from the pen of J. H. WILLIS, Esq., of Quebec, who furnished them to the editor of this work. The following incident occurred on Black Lake, near the Caraboo Mountains. The cabin of the writer was situated on a rocky island in the middle of the lake. We should premise that the moose, when calling each other, make a noise like the sound of a horn, for which purpose the huntsmen use a common cow horn, and immersing it partly in the water, and blowing, it will send forth the lowing of the moose, and the noble bucks will soon be heard answering in the distant glens, and will ere long make their appearance along the border of the lake or river in search of their mates. "The Real Moose Hunter of Canada" relates the incident subjoined, which occurred in the summer of 1841:

"I proceeded with my friend of the wood, old Tonquin, in a bark canoe from the lower part of the lake, with forty splendid salmon trout, taken during the day, to our camp. I had just finished an excellent dinner, cuite a la Buche, when old Tonquin asked me the time of day. Just five, old cock,' says I. It be time blow horn-moose come soon!' He blew a loud and prolonged blast, which was immediately answered from both shores.

Soon all was bustle on the Rock; out went the fire, and down came my tent; rifles loaded, canoe launched, and all ready, I took my double-barrel and crossed over with my canoe to the Caraboo Mountain side, and old Tonquin to the opposite one. I heard another lowing from the mountain, and the old hunter again answered. Finding that the moose would strike the river lower down than where I stood, I hastened to the headland to keep a good look-out. I had not been five minutes at my post, before I saw on the opposite shore a very large moose, with antlers looking more like a bush than horns. Old Tonquin again put the horn in the water, and produced a low sound, as from a moose. I saw the noble animal look round and snuff the air, and then spring into the lake; the waters divided, and flew up on both sides full twenty feet high [!!] He directed his course through the lake straight for old Tonquin. Look out, now, old chap!' says I. Mind your canoe, old fellow-remember it is only bark! Down crouched the old hunter in the canoe, and I could see the muzzle of his rifle over the edge. On came the noble deer, blowing like a whale. I could hardly breathe, so intense was I on the sport-my breath was prolonged to such a length, that I could hear the throbbing of my heart as plain as if I had been thumping with my fist on a drum-head.-Bang! What a shot!- Missed, by Jupiter!-Bang! What a second!-Missed again, by Jove! Up rose the moose, over went old Tonquin and canoe! Cry after cry rent the air from the old man. The moose once more sprung out of the water, with the old fellow holding on to his mane. I saw it was a hard struggle, Tonquin trying to get on his back. Round and round swam the deer-he's up, by the powers! Now came the moose towards me, then stooped and rolled over, old Tonquin holding on like grim death. At last on the moose came towards me, and my anxiety rose to such a pitch that I firmly believe that my hands had become paralysed from excitement and holding my rifle so tight. At last with a bound and a leap the deer came to land a few feet from me. Bang went one barrel-the moose staggered and fell on his knees-bang went the second, the contents of which took effect in the head, and the noble animal lay stretched on the beach, with the old man still clinging to

him, and it was many minutes before the game old fellow could be made to let go his hold, or before he could gather his senses sufficiently to understand where he was, or what had passed. The first words he uttered were, 'I no blow horn again—he be devil dat moose!' The moose proved to be a prime one, in good season, having fourteen branches to his antlers, and measuring six feet extended, and eight feet from the hoof to the top of the shoulder."

CLOSE QUARTERS WITH A BULL MCOSE AT NIGHT.

In travelling from the Lower Canadian Province into the eastern townships, about fifty miles after leaving the banks of the St. Lawrence, opposite the pretty town of Trois Rivieres, and near twenty above what is termed "the French country," that is, the tract in the occupation of the old Canadian settlers, you strike upon the little straggling village of Drummondville. This village is situated on the banks of the rapid, broken, and romantic river St. Francis, and is reckoned a sort of border or outlying settlement of the townships. In appearance there is little to attract particular notice or admiration about the place; but the locale, like Hamilton Co., in New York, and the highlands of Pennsylvania, however unpromising to the farmer, makes up most amply to the sportsman, as there is an abundance and variety of game in its immediate vicinity, as well as the wide forest region around it. This latter extends backward from the river, on either side, and stretches away to a vast distance behind the thinly settled concessions, and presents splendid huntinggrounds for the moose, caraboo, common deer, bear, martin, mink, raccoon, and the numerous other small quarry of value in the hunter's eye, occasionally sprinkled with a catamount or two, for variety-sake, and which give the hunters often a new feature in the relation of their exploits around the camp fire.

In this region resides a gentleman who is known throughout the country as "BOB MILLAR, the Moose Hunter." Our correspondent describes him in the following terms:—

"Bob is the eldest son of a worthy half-pay officer, long settled