TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 283 



lead, and Mr. Fender, an old hunter of Nebraska,, followed 

 with four as good cayuses as ever stretched a tug. Chap- 

 pell rode Mr. Jennings' saddle mare, so our scouting party, 

 Chappell, Woods and myself, were once more in the lead. 



We kept up a lively pace until noon, when we camped 

 on the banks of a beautiful little stream. After dinner our 

 road turned off the main thoroughfare. We had not pro- 

 ceeded far on this when Mr. Woods and myself came upon 

 two fresh lion-tracks which crossed the road. We dis- 

 mounted, tied our horses, and, with our rifles, proceeded to 

 hunt through the timber and rocks. 



After we had made a circuit of several miles, the tracks 

 of a third lion appeared. We came to a windfall about a mile 

 square, and, through and around this terrible jungle, we cir- 

 cled three times, slipping and falling between logs repeat- 

 edly. The tracks crossed and recrossed until we became so 

 confused that we could no longer follow them,, and their 

 chasings of rabbits made it all the more difficult. Having 

 wasted five hours of toil, we were obliged to abandon the 

 hunt. 



After a long ride we found that our party had pulled 

 out for Canyon creek. Just as we were crossing this branch, 

 I saw fiye black-tail deer bounding toward us on a timber 

 ridge. We halted and finally I could see that the rear one 

 was wounded, so we knew that other hunters were in the 

 field. At this point we made a curve and went back over 

 the hill, bearing from south to north and, going in the direc- 

 tion of our party, followed them. When we came to the 

 trail we separated, hoping by this means to cut off their re- 

 treat or get a running shot at them as they passed northward. 



I went across a beautiful park and kept a sharp lookout 

 for the deer, as I thought they would come my way. I had 

 now reached a deep canyon and had dismounted to let my 



