Adventures with the Caribou

Part 5: Curious Caribou

Recap: In our last issue, we read about William's adventures tracking the caribou through a blinding blizzard of snow. Now we're going to learn about how curious the woodland caribou are, as well as the caribou school! Read the story of Elijah's flight from Jezebel and the call of Elisha in 1 Kings 19, and see what lessons you can find in this story.

The caribou I am speaking of now are all woodland caribou--larger, finer animals every way than the barren-ground caribou of the desolate unwooded regions farther north. In summer they live singly, rearing their young in deep forest seclusions. There each one does as he pleases. So when you meet a caribou in summer, he is a different creature, and has more unknown and curious ways than when he runs with the herd in midwinter.

I remember a solitary old bull that lived on the mountain-side opposite my camp one summer, a most interesting mixture of fear and boldness, of reserve and intense curiosity. After I had hunted him a few times, and he found that my purpose was wholly peaceable, he took to hunting me in the same way, just to find out who I was, and what queer thing I was doing. Sometimes I would see him at sunset on a dizzy cliff across the lake, watching for the curl of smoke or the coming of a canoe. And when I dove in for a swim and went splashing, dog-paddle way, about the island where my tent was, he would walk about in the greatest excitement, and start a dozen times to come down; but always he ran back for another look, as if fascinated.

Again he would come down on a burned point near the deep hole where I was fishing, and, hiding his body in the underbrush, would push his horns up into the bare branches of a withered shrub, so as to make them inconspicuous, and stand watching me. As long as he was quiet, it was impossible to see him there; but I could always make him start nervously by flashing a looking-glass, or flopping a fish in the water, or whistling a jolly Irish jig.

And when I tied a bright tomato can to a string and set it whirling round my head, or set my handkerchief for a flag on the end of my trout rod, then he could not stand it another minute, but came running down to the shore, to stamp, and fidget, and stare nervously, and scare himself with twenty alarms while trying to make up his mind to swim out and satisfy his burning desire to know all about it.

But the most curious thing I ever stumbled into was a caribou school. That sounds queer; but it is more common in the wilderness than one thinks. All gregarious animals have perfectly well defined social regulations, which the young must learn and respect. To learn them, they go to school in their own interesting way.

Wherever there are barrens--treeless plains in the midst of dense forest--the caribou collect in small herds as winter comes on, following the old gregarious instinct. Then each one cannot do as he pleases any more; and it is for this winter and spring life together, when laws must be known, and the rights of the individual be laid aside for the good of the herd, that the young are trained.

One afternoon in late summer I was drifting down the Toledi River, casting for trout, when a movement in the bushes ahead caught my attention. A great swampy tract of ground, covered with grass and low brush, spread out on either side the stream. From the canoe I made out two or three waving lines of bushes where some animals were making their way through the swamp towards a strip of big timber which formed a kind of island in the middle.

Pushing my canoe into the grass, I made for a point just astern of the nearest quivering line of bushes. A glance at a bit of soft ground showed me the trail of a mother caribou with her calf. I followed cautiously, the wind being ahead in my favor. They were not hurrying, and I took good pains not to alarm them.

When I reached the timber and crept like a snake through the underbrush, there were the caribou, five or six mother animals, and nearly twice as many little ones, well grown, which had evidently just come in from all directions. They were gathered in a natural opening, fairly clear of bushes, with a fallen tree or two, which served a good purpose later. The sunlight fell across it in great golden bars, making light and shadow to play in; all around was the great marsh, giving protection from enemies; dense underbrush screened them from prying eyes--and this was their schoolroom.

Questions for Thought or Discussion

In Elijah's experience, we saw how Elijah had his ups and downs in his walk with God. In the previous chapter, he had been at the height of his experience on Mount Carmel. Now he's running and hiding from Queen Jezebel, forgetting how much protection God has given him so far.

• How does the curious bull caribou illustrate any of Elijah's experience?
• What lessons can I learn from this to help me today?

Elijah's experience at Mount Horeb (also known as Mount Sinai), shows just how patient of a teacher God is to each one of us. This story was another "lesson" for Elijah as a student in the "School of Christ"

• What does the caribou school have in common with this story?
• What lessons does this teach you?
• How can it help you grow closer to God today?

The call of Elisha is an amazing story. It shows Elisha hard at work in his father's fields, faithfully doing the little things that lie nearest to him. Then Elijah calls him and he leaves all to follow, not demanding salary or anything. Then as he worked with this great prophet, it says he "ministered unto him"

• What character qualities does this bring to mind?
• Do you see those same qualities illustrated in the "caribou school"?

Want to share with us the answers you've found? Post them on Treasure Talk! But don't stop there--the other sections while you're at it! We'd love to hear from you!