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A Narrow Escape

and the pursued is immersed in the cold water. The lake knows him well in the /waters of the lake. The nearest wolves summer days, for both the young and old have likewise fallen into the water, and, deer swim fearlessly and well. He knows, discomfited and cold, struggle back to moreover, that he is safe from his purresemblance. suers, unless, indeed, the thirst for prey beast of burden, but in this respect it is, should lead them to circumvent his swim, of course, inferior to the domesticated and to await his arrival on the other side reindeer, to which the Elk bears a general of the lake. But the defeated pack scent other game in the wind. They retire dis- An Indian, at the Factory at Hudson's comfited and chilled, as the Elk, strug- Bay, had, in the year 1777, two Elks, so gling onwards, at last secures a foothold tame that, when he was on his passage to on the ice, and with a defiant toss of the Prince of Wales Fort, in a canoe, they great antlers disappears in the gray twi- always followed him along the bank of light that fast shades everything-lake, elk, the river, and at night, or on any other occawolves and landscape-in its kindly gloom. sion when he landed, they generally came Commercially, the Elk is valued for and fondled him in the same manner as three items-his horns, flesh and skin. the most domestic animal would have The latter is extremely tough and dense; done, and never attempted to stray from and the flesh, in a smoked condition, is the tents. He did not, however, possess regarded as a luxury by more civilized these animals long; for he one day crossed tastes than those of the Indian hunter. a deep bay in one of the lakes, in order to The Elk may be domesticated to a great save a very circuitous route along its extent if tamed when young. But it does bank, and expected the creatures would, not appear that it ever loses completely its as usual, follow him round; but, unforsomewhat surly disposition. It is liable to tunately, at night they did not arrive; sudden attacks of revengeful ferocity, and and, as the howling of wolves was heard requires, in consequence, to be carefully in the quarter where they were, it is sup watched. The Elk has been used as a posed they had been devoured.