TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 233 



close to camp, by making a knot on our picket ropes, digging 

 a hole about a foot deep, burying the knot and tramping the 

 earth solid around it. We made the hole as small as possible 

 so as not to displace much earth. We were soon in our 

 blankets and asleep, but before long our sleep was broken 

 by howls of timber wolves which sent a shiver through us. 



Our horses were frightened beyond control, and, had 

 we not soon lighted our fire and carefully guarded them, 

 they would have made a supper for the wolves before dawn. 

 These great, gaunt creatures congregated by dozens, and came 

 into plain sight, their eyes flashing as with fire. Our great 

 heap of pine logs and knots kept them at a reasonably safe 

 distance until the gray began to color the east, when they 

 sullenly and quietly slunk away to cover. 



We were soon busy getting our breakfast, and while this 

 was being prepared, we could hear the bugling of some bull 

 elks up the mountain. Presently we started on an expedi- 

 tion, not so much for game as for a survey of this wonderful 

 mountain. We rode until the ground was so steep and rocky 

 that we were obliged to abandon our horses, and we made 

 them fast with the picket rope. Climbing upwards, we en- 

 countered windfalls and rocks and streams. I saw several 

 crossings where sheep had come down to the small parks 

 of grass among the trees and slept. We alarmed many 

 coveys of blue grouse, whose plumage was dazzling to be- 

 hold. We now came to a rim of rock, and, after a hard 

 climb, crossed it to be confronted by a beautiful lake, where 

 hundreds of deer and elks and sheep were wont to come to 

 slake their thirst. While we paused we could see down on 

 the farther side, a huge cow elk and her yearling calf, drink- 

 ing. Their large ears stood out to catch the sound of our 

 feet as we approached them. We allowed them to go undis- 

 turbed, as we had no use for their flesh. 



