MOOSWA AND OTHERS OF THE BOUNDARIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 69

MOOSWA AND OTHERS OF THE BOUNDARIES.

This is the title of one of the most delightful books on animals and their ways that I have ever read. The book is full of delightful humour, and as the animals are engaged in evading the hunters, and the hunters equally keen to get the skins of the animals, the dodging on both sides makes most amusing and also instructive reading. There is Mooswa, the moose, who protects a boy who is worked into the story, and in a most pathetic and loving way; Muskwa, the bear, and his sleepy and gruff, but good-natured, manner; Black Fox, who is elected the King of the Boundaries; Carcajou, the lynx, a kind of outcast on account of his deceitful and low-down ways ; Umisk, the beaver, noted for his honest industry and inoffensiveness ; and a few others. * But perhaps the most amusing of the lot is Whisky-Jack, the Canadian Jay, a sharp-tongued gossip, saucy, sarcastic, yet at heart a good-natured chap, ready to do any of his mates a good turn. It is impossible to give you anything like an adequate idea of the contents of the book, but 2iere is an extract or two to whet your appetites. They are taken from the opening chaptei s : — • It was in the full autumn that WhiskyJack flew north and south, east and west, and called to a meeting tho Dwellers that were in tho Boundaries. Thw- was for the choosing of a King, a yearly observance, and for the settling- of other matters When they had gathered. Black Fox greeted the Animals thus: " Good year to you, Subjects, and much eating, each unto his own way of life." Whiskty-Jack preened his mischievous head, ruffled his blue-gray feathers, broke into tho harsh, cackling laugh of the jay. and sneered, " Eating ! always thinking of eating, and never a more beautiful song to you, or " "Less thieving to you, eh. Mister Jay?" growled Muskwa. " You who come by your eating easily have it not so heavily on your mind as we Toilers." "You know why we meet as usual?" queried Black Fox, placing his big, wlntetippod brush affectedly about his feet. "That they do," piped Whisky-Jack ; " it's because they're afraid of losing their hides. I'm not — nobody trios to rob me." " Worthier gabbler.! wowltd Mufikwa.

"Jack is right," declared Black Fox. "If w? do not help each other with the things tvo have learned, our warm coats will soon be on the backs of the White Men's wives." "Is that why the Men are always chasing us?" asked the Beaver, turning his sharp-pointed head with the little bead eyes toward the King. " Not in your case," snapped "WhiskyJack, " for they eat you, old Fat Tail. I heard twe White Men, who camped on our river last winter, say that your brother, whom they caught when they raided your little round lodge, tasted like beefsteak, whatever that is. He ! he ! And Francois, ! the guide, ate his tail, and said it was equal to fat bacon." " Unthinking wretch !" cried Umisk, the Beaver angrily bringing his broad tail down on a stone like the crack of a pistol. " I picked his bones," taunted the Jay. He was dead, and cooked too, so it didn't matter." " Cannibal !" grunted Muskwa, the Bear. "They eafc you also, Muskwa; only when they're hungry, though ; they say your flesh is like bad pork, strong and tough." Black Fox inteiTupted the discord. " Comrades," he pleaded, "don't mind Jack; he's only a Jay, and you know what chatterers they are. He means well, does he not, when he tells us the Trappers are coming?" "Yes, and steals the bait bo youwon't*get caught," added tho Jay. " Oh, I'm good — I help you. You're a lot of crawling fools — all but the King. You can run and fight, but you don't know things. That's because ypu don't associate with Man and eit in his camp as I do." • • • ■ " My !" cried the Beaver, patting the ground irritably with his trowel tail, " ope really never knows how \ile he is until he gets runuing for office." And so the animal courtesies and amenities go on. They pick each other's characters to pieces, but all the time there js brotherhood displayed. A King is elected, rules are revised for their hunting expeditions, and common cause is made against their common enemy, man. Here's a sly dig at the differences existing amongst us as to the way to Heaven : — Carcajou pulled his long, curved clawe through his whiskers reflectively. "What's thj use of wrangling like this — we're a 9 silly as a lot of men. Last winter, when I was down at Grand Rapids, I eat on the roof of a shaok listening to those twolegged creatures squabbling. They were all arguing fiercely about the different ways to Heaven. According to each one, he was on the right road, and the rest were all wrong. Fresh Meat ! but ifc was stupid, for I gathered from what they said that the one way to get there was to be good, only each had a different way. " In another chapter there is a discussion on the value of skins. Here is a part of ii, : — " Oh, bless us, Muskrat's skin is only worth 15 cents," remonstrated Jack " His wool is but used for lining — put on the inside of men's coats, where it won't show. But your fur, dear Pussy Marten, is worth eight dollars ; think of that for a prime pelt. That brother of yours sitting over there with the faded jacket, wouldn't fetch more than three or four at the outside; but I'll give you seven for yours now, and chance it. Shouldn't wonder if you'd fetch twelve when they skin you, for your coat is nice and black." " I suppose there's no price on your hide?" whined Lynx. " It's nice to be of no value in the world, isn't it?" " There's alwuys a price on brains ; but that doesn't interest you, Silly, does it? You're not in the market. Your understanding runs to a fine discrimination in perfumes — prominent odour s , like Castoreum, or dead fish. If you were a Man, you'd have been a hairdresser." I do not know any more suitable book for a boy fond of reading of animal?, for apart from the fun and fancy contained thereiuthere is also quite a funJ of mfoimation.