TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 185 



CHAPTER XVII. 



LIFE IN THE WILDS Pryor Creek camp in a canyon a lonely solitude a bald 

 eagle effects of a rifle shot a grizzly and her cubs a oave of death a 

 mountain lion's den prowling thieves still more deer bear and elk. 



The pleasures of the hunt are more than half due to the 

 companions who accompany me, but hunting alone has its 

 advantages. There is no one to stand by and ridicule when 

 you miss your aim, or to tell how much better he could have 

 done if you had given him a chance. Failing to find any 

 one who was ready and willing, at that particular time, to 

 lay by other work to chase deer wherever they might be 

 found, I started up Pryor Creek, with three horses, but on 

 the mission before mentioned. 



The waters of this creek are very clear and full of trout 

 as it flows from the mountains ; but, as it nears the Yellow- 

 stone, several small tributaries come in from the Bad Lands, 

 making the water dark and muddy, and catfish in large num- 

 bers take the place of the trout. A hard day's drive, from 

 early morn until sundown, brought me near the canyon, 

 where I feasted from a fawn, killed on the way, and potatoes 

 and coffee. Then I sought repose, and did not awaken until 

 the sun was high in the heavens next day. 



When the canyon was reached I made camp, picketed 

 my horses, shouldered my rifle, and took to the hills, longing 

 to get within shot of deer or elk. The country around was 

 very broken, but, by climbing rocks and holding on to bushes, 



