TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 2/3 



roasted, while Dicky said he "was too high-toned for such 

 common grub, and would provide some mountain grouse." 

 A school of trout, which Whitcomb claimed to have captured, 

 he informed us would be fried for supper. We had placed 

 our tent just at the edge of the heavy timber, so that the game 

 could not see it, and our mess wagon was completely hidden 

 from view. A clear cold spring was near by, where the elk 

 came to drink. Grass was plenty, wood abundant, and we 

 were now in a real hunter's paradise. At a short distance, 

 the clear waters of the Ten Sleep River were dashed into 

 foam and countless thousands of speckled trout were to be 

 seen. 



The evening was spent in preparation for the great to- 

 morrow, when our camp was to be filled with elk, deer and 

 the fat of the land. We arose with the morning sun still 

 behind the eastern mountain. Breakfast was soon over, and 

 we got ready for the chase. Before we separated, four of 

 us agreed to meet at a designated mountain spur in the even- 

 ing. We hunted without adventure the whole day, and when 

 night came, assembled around the supper table with a cover 

 of grouse as the best showing of the day. Of course, we all 

 knew where the elk had gone, and were going to take them 

 in the next day. After supper we joined in a great plot to do 

 the elk of that vicinity bodily injury. The boys had piled up 

 a rick of pitch pine, the flames shot up almost as high as the 

 trees, and the moon and stars shone out until it seemed almost 

 like day. All at once there was a flash of light and a meteor 

 shot across the heavens, leaving a track of fire behind it. 



After our hard day's hunt we lost no time in sleepless- 

 ness, and the cry of the owl awoke us early in the morning. 

 Chappell and Dickey took their course to the north, while Cal 

 Jennings and I penetrated Ten Sleep canyon, which we found 

 an ideal home for game. However, we sighted none, and 



