The Elk of the Pacific Coast 183 



sight and hearing. Yet if he does see you and 

 takes a notion to go, it may be but one plunge 

 into the dark depths and your hunt is over with 

 that one. 



Not so very much better is your chance when 

 you see a dark brown or yellowish gray line fade 

 in the darkness as you are travelling along. The 

 heavier the windfalls the faster the elk seems to 

 go, and the more the necessity of his rising into 

 sight to pass over the fallen timber as the deer 

 does, the more he fails to swing high enough to 

 give you a shot from the saddle. Vainly you 

 spring from the horse to scramble on a log so as 

 to get high enough. By the time you are there 

 the brown or gray line is low, or perhaps nothing 

 is in sight but a white patch that makes a beauti- 

 ful target if it would only stay in view long enough 

 for you to raise the rifle. 



Yet this is the very sublimity of forest, draped 

 in silence so broad and impressive that you can 

 hear the distant footfall of your game, and still 

 farther off hear the crack of brush as it leaves 

 you forever. Not the bark of a squirrel or the 

 chirp of a bird may break the silence for hours. 

 All the conditions of the hunt are here, nature 

 at her grandest and wildest, with about all that 

 you call success depending on your own skill 

 and endurance. 



Such is much of the country you will now find 



