TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 123 



in our present condition. We quartered him, hung him up 

 and then started for camp by different routes. 



I took the river bank, and, as I sauntered along, I 

 noted numerous signs of game, and felt that it would not be 

 a bad place to camp for the winter ; but where were the pro- 

 visions, the pack animals, the wolf poison, and other indis- 

 pensables of a winter camp ? Clearly such a camp would be 

 impossible for us, and I dismissed the thought. Other signs 

 I found were numerous, and the river banks were dotted 

 with beaver houses. As I moved on, the signs of elk and 

 bear became more fresh. The earth was entirely covered 

 with hoof prints and the smell was unmistakable. I paused 

 in surprise. Could it be a mule that I saw standing among 

 the bushes ? Impossible ! There were no farmers in that 

 country ! On closer inspection I saw it was a large cow elk, 

 with ears larger than a mule's and without horns. 



Advancing a few steps, I saw there were fifty elk at 

 least in view. I knelt upon one knee and took deliberate 

 aim at my mule and fired. What a commotion it caused! 

 What a rushing and thrashing of bushes ! Bushes and small 

 cottonwood trees were literally trampled into the earth. 

 The valley and forest resounded with the clatter of hoofs. 

 The boys renewed the firing from the other side and turned 

 them toward the river. When the old bulls struck the water, 

 the current seemed to stop. There arose a terrible din. The 

 clashing of their horns against the trees as they made for 

 the river, the noise of their hoofs and the splashing of water 

 sounded like a hurricane in full blast. 



I shot a large bull in the river, but he was trampled un- 

 der the feet of his followers in the deep water and was seen 

 no more ; I fired at another one with giant antlers, just as 

 he was plunging in. He was also hurled beneath the waters. 

 We killed seven elk and recovered but one. There must 



