come its murderers with the most fearless innocence; using its forefeet, almost every instant, to clear its eyes of the numerous musquitoes which alighted upon it. The Elks are the easiest to tame and domesticate of any animals of the Deer kind. They will follow their keeper to any distance from home; and, at his call, will return with him, without the least trouble, and without ever attempting to deviate from the path. An Indian, at the Factory at Hudson's Bay, had, in the year 1777, two Elks, so tame, that, when he was on his passage to Prince of Wales' Fort, in a canoe, they always followed him along the bank of the river; and at night, or on any other occasion, when he landed, they generally came and fondled on him, in the same manner as the most domestic animal would have done, and never attempted to stray from the tents. He did not, however, possess these animals long; for he one day crossed a deep bay in one of the lakes, in order to save a very circuitous route along its bank, and expected the creatures would, as usual. follow him round: but, unfortunately, at night they did not arrive; and as the howling of wolves was heard in the quarter where they were, it is supposed they had been devoured by those voracious beasts, for they were never afterwards seen. M. D'Obsonville had a Moose-deer in his possession, while in the East Indies. He procured it when only ten or twelve years old, and kept it about two years without ever tying it up. He even let it run abroad, and sometimes amused himself with making it draw in the yard, or carry little burdens. It always came when called, and he found few signs of impatience, except when it was not allowed to remain near him. When he departed from the island of Sumatra, he gave it Mr. Law of Lauriston, the governor-general, an intimate friend. This gentleman sent it to his country-house, where, being kept alone and chained, it became so furious as not to be approached without danger: even the person who every day brought its food was obliged to leave this at some distance. "After some months' absence (says M. D'Obsonville) I returned: it knew me afar off, as I observed by the efforts it made to get to me. I ran to meet it; and never shall I forget the impression which the caresses and transports of this faithful animal made upon me." A successful attempt has been made at New York to render the Elk useful in agricultural labor. Mr. Livingston, the president of the New York Society, had two of these animals broken to the harness. Though they had only been twice bitted, and were two years old, they appeared to be equally docile with colts of the same age. They applied their whole strength to the draught, and went on a steady pace. Their mouths appeared very tender, and some care was necessary to prevent them from being injured by the bit. If, upon trial, it be found that the Elk can be rendered useful in harness, it will be a considerable acquisition to the Americans. As the trot of these animals is very rapid, it is probable that, in light carriages, they would out-travel the horse. They are also less delicate in their food than that animal, and will become fat on hay only. They are long-lived, and more productive than any beast of burden. The Indians have a superstitious notion that there is an Elk of such an enormous size, that eight feet in depth of snow is no impediment to its walking; that its hide is proof against weapons of every description, and that it has an arm growing out of its shoulder, subservient to the same purposes as ours. They say also that this imaginary animal is attended by a vast number of other Elks, which form his court, and render him every service that a sovereign can require of them. The Indians esteem the Elk an animal of good omen, and believe that to dream of it often is an indication of long life. When suddenly roused and endeavoring to make its escape, the Elk is observed at times to fall down, as if deprived for some moments of motion. Whether this be owing, as frequently has been imagined, to an epileptic fit, or whether it only arises from fear, it is not, perhaps, easy to determine. The circumstance, however, has given rise to the popular superstition of attributing to the hoofs of the Elk the virtues TEP MOOSE DEER of an anti-epileptic medicine: and the Indians even imagine that the animal has the power of curing itself of its own disorder, or at least of preventing an approaching fit, by scratching its ear till it draws blood. The flesh of the Elk is good; but the grain is coarse, and it is much tougher than any other kind of venison. According to Mr. Pennant, the tongues are excellent, and the nose is so like marrow, as to be esteemed the greatest delicacy produced in Canada. The skins make excellent tent-covers and shoe-leather. These animals inhabit the forests of Europe, America, and Asia, as far as Japan. The females generally produce their young-ones, from one to three in number, towards the end of April or the beginning of May. THE REINDEER. The Reindeer is found in most of the northern regions of Europe, Asia, and America. Its general height is about four feet and a half. The color is brown above and white beneath; but, as the animal advances in age, it often becomes of a grayish white. The space about the eyes is always black. The hair on the under part of the neck is much longer than the rest. The hoofs are long, large, and black. Both sexes are furnished with horns, but those of the male are much the largest. These are long slender, and branched; fur THE REINDEER. nished with brow antlers, having widely-expanded and palmated tips, directed forwards. To the Laplanders this animal is the substitute for the Horse, the Cow, the Goat, and the Sheep; and is their only wealth. The milk affords them cheese; the flesh, food; the skin, clothing; of the tendons they make bow-strings, and, when split, thread; of the horns, glue; and of the bones, spoons. During the winter the Reindeer supplies the want of a horse, and draws sledges with amazing swiftness over the frozen lakes and rivers, or over the snow, which at that time covers the whole country. With a couple of Reindeer yoked to a sledge, it is said that a Laplander is able to travel one hundred and twelve English miles in a day. The Laplanders say, that they can thrice change the horizon in twentyfour hours; that is, they can three times pass that object, which, at their setting out, they saw the greatest distance their eyes could reach. The sledge is formed somewhat like a boat, having a back-board in it for the rider to lean against. Its bottom is convex, and none but a person well practised in such a mode of travelling can preserve himself a moment from being overset. It is square behind, but projects to a point before. The traveller is tied in it like a child in a cradle. He manages his carriage with great dexterity, by means of a stick with a flat end, to remove stones or any obstructions he may meet with. To the peak in fron. a thong is fixed, which yokes the Reindeer. The bit is a piece of narrow leather, tacked to the reins of the bridle over the animal's head and neck; and from the breast a leathern strap, passing under the belly, is fastened to the front part of the sledge. Before the Laplander enters the sledge he puts on his gloves, afterwards he places himself in it, taking the rein or halter fastened to the Reindeer's head, and tying it about his right thumb. In the mean time the Deer stands still, and the rein hangs on the left side. When the man is ready to set off, he shakes the rein with violence from side to side, and the animal springs forward with great speed. The driver directs the course of the Deer, which is irregular and serpentine, by pulling the rein on the side he would have him go; and encourages him with his voice. It is for this purpose that the lovesongs of the Laplanders are in general composed; and among these are found some beautiful specimens of the poetry of a rude and uncivilized nation. It must appear wonderful that the Laplanders should be able to travel in winter, by night as well as by day, when the earth presents one entire surface of snow, and not a single vestige is discoverable of human industry to direct their way, the snow at the same time flying about in all directions, and almost blinding them: yet it is certain that they have no difficulty to find the spot to which they are bound, and very rarely meet with any accident. They fix bells to the harness of the Reindeer, in order that they may be kept together by hearing, when they cannot see one another, after the light of their short day fails them. To guide them in their route, the Laplanders observe the quarter from which the wind blows, and at night are directed by the stars. The missionary Leems, who resided ten years among this people, remarks, that during the whole of that time he did not remember more than one fatal accident having happened from this mode of travelling. A rich Laplander is often possessed of a herd of more than a thousand Reindeer. In autumn these seek the highest hills, in order to avoid the Lapland Gad-fly. The skins of the Reindeer, after they are killed, are sometimes found to be as full of holes as a sieve, from the operations of these insects, which, at that time, deposits its eggs in their skins. This insect is the pest of the Reindeer, and numbers die that are thus visited. The moment a single fly appears, the whole herd instantly perceive it; they fling up their heads, toss about their horns, and at once attempt to fly for shelter amidst the snows of the loftiest mountains. In summer they feed on several kinds of plants; but during winter on the Reindeer liverwort, to get at which, as it lies far beneath the snow, they dig with their feet and antlers. It is, |