INTER-OCEAN HUNTING TALES 



too dark, we suddenly rose up in plain view. 

 The peaceful scene was soon converted into 

 one of great confusion. For a moment the 

 elk stared at us with their beautiful large 

 brown eyes in astonishment, then a general 

 panic communicated itself to the herd, and 

 every animal in sight began moving off. Each 

 clump of vegetation that could conceal a 

 form seemed suddenly animated by a creature 

 breaking from its hiding place, fleeing for 

 safety ; the cows and calves gave vent to their 

 peculiar bleat of alarm, while the bulls 

 snorted and rattled their antlers against the 

 trees in their haste. For some hundred yards 

 in the timber, and well up on the mountain 

 side, the scene became particularly animated. 

 I hurried to an opening in the timber, where 

 I could get a good view of the retreating 

 herd, which had drawn together into quite a 

 solid moving mass. The number of elk 

 greatly exceeded my expectations. Nine- 

 tenths of the herd had been as carefully con- 

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