124 AMERICAK GAME BIRD SHOOTTKO. 



to get away with the horses, as the savages would con- 

 sider no punishment too severe for us. As he knew the 

 Indians very well be was asked to explain the matter 

 about the graveyard to tbem, but he said it would be a 

 useless waste of words, as no one could make any ex- 

 planation that would satisfy them in such a case. He 

 also intimated that we would do well to keep away from 

 the vicinity of the tribe for some time. Not caring to 

 have any trouble with the savages, we started homeward 

 after breakfast and reached there in due time, and so 

 ended one trip after the Franklin variety of tbe Canada 

 grouse. I learned afterwards that the Indians were so 

 angry at what we had done tliat they would have caused 

 us no little trouble had they caught us, but as they bad 

 not, they reported ns to the Superintendent of Indian 

 Affairs, and there the matter stojiped, so far as we 

 were concerned. 



I have wandered for hours through the forest in search 

 of this grouse, and was often fortunate enough to secure 

 several brace, besides other game, but I never saw the 

 bird display any other traits except those I have men- 

 tioned. I have known the birds to be so numerous 

 around the camp wben jiarties whicli I accompanied 

 were out deer or bear hunting in the woods, that I think 

 it would be safe to say that a man could kill a hundred 

 in a day, provided he shot them as he found them, that 

 is, on the ground or on trees. I know we found them 

 so plentiful at certain seasons that we did not condescend 

 to kill them except as we wanted them for immediate use. 



