256 Life and Sport on the Pacific Slope 



exhilaration, of physical vigour and vitality was 

 delightful. At another time, my cousin and I were 

 close to the Teton Basin, in Wyoming, whither we. 

 had wandered in search of bison. We secured four 

 fine bulls (almost the last that were shot), and 

 awoke one morning to find the snow falling, and 

 the possibility of spending Christmas in the wilder- 

 ness staring us in the face. For several nights 

 in succession we slept out without a tent, and 

 were none the worse; but the tyro will do well 

 not to stray far from civilisation when winter is 

 impending. 



I cannot advise the "tenderfoot" to hunt for 

 wapiti in the woods. They may be found in the 

 forests of Oregon and Washington, but only a 

 seasoned hunter can stalk them successfully. The 

 labour of cutting a path through dense woods is 

 inconceivably trying to muscles and temper, and 

 your impedimenta must be carried on your back, 

 or on the back of your Indians. More, you may 

 shoot — as a friend of mine did — some magnifi- 

 cent specimens, and be unable to carry home your 

 trophies. Upon the Eastern side of the different 

 mountain ranges that stretch from Mount Shasta 

 to the Arctic circle, the foothills are, generally 

 speaking, free from heavy timber. With a good 

 field glass at your eye you can find your game, and 

 approach it with the odds for, instead of against 

 you. 



Wapiti, the finest deer in the world, are rapid 

 travellers, and soon driven from a country. It is 

 expedient to make a rule not to fire a single shot 

 when entering virgin country. I know how tempt- 



