A REMINISCENCE OF THE ROCKIES 



horse and began to occupy myself with ob- 

 serving game signs and incidentally thought 

 of the camp-fire and kettle. 



It is interesting to notice how strangely the 

 element of luck will enter into- a sportsman's 

 experience. One day, after hunting faithfully 

 from early dawn until evening without suc- 

 cess, I concluded to vary the monotony by 

 shooting at a mark. I had not been engaged 

 in that pastime very long before my attention 

 was arrested by hearing something crashing 

 through the brush at the foot of the hill where 

 I stood, and presently I saw a fine blacktail 

 buck come bounding up the slope directly 

 toward me, accompanied by a doe. My rifle 

 was just ready to bring up to my shoulder, but 

 I remained motionless in plain view, waiting 

 for the game to come within easy range. A 

 more picturesque sight than that blacktail, 

 easily and gracefully clearing the fallen tim- 

 bers, I have rarely seen. My eagerness did 

 not interfere with my sizing up the well- 

 15 



