American Big-Game Hunting 



my continued and violent exertions in the 

 light air, — being almost up to timber-line, — I 

 sank upon the ground, and could not refrain 

 from smiling at the forlorn appearance we 

 presented. 



Blowing like porpoises, their tongues loll- 

 ing out, covered with blood from their own 

 and the buck's wounds, the dogs lay extended 

 at full leneth. An examination revealed that 

 Kentuck's mouth was split almost to his ears, 

 and there was a hole in his abdomen from 

 which his entrails protruded, besides several 

 minor cuts. Maida was more bloody than 

 hurt, having lost several patches of skin, and 

 hair enough to pad a saddle. As for myself, my 

 antelope-skin shirt and overalls were ripped 

 and bloody, one sole was torn from my heavy 

 hunting-boots, elbows and knees were skinned 

 by the sharp ledges of slate and loose quartz 

 scattered about, and I had a badly cut lip and 

 several loose teeth. I considered my great- 

 est injury the damage to my rifle. It was 

 one that I had made to order by Freund, 

 of Denver, being a 45 -caliber, heavy octa- 

 gon barrel, Springfield needle-gun movement, 

 with set triggers and curled maple pistol-grip 

 82 



