Still-Hunting Elk on the Mountain 303 



animals had slackened their pace into a walk, evi- 

 dently making up their minds that they were out 

 of danger. Soon afterward they had begun to go 

 slower, and to scatter out on each side, browsing or 

 grazing. 



It was not difficult work to follow up the band at 

 first. While trotting their sharp hoofs came down 

 with sufficient force to leave very distinct footprints, 

 and, moreover, the trail was the more readily made 

 out as all the animals trod nearly in each other's 

 steps. But when the band spread out the tracking 

 was much harder, as each single one, walking slowly 

 along, merely made here and there a slight scrape 

 in the soil or a faint indentation in the bed of pine 

 needles. Besides, I had to advance with the greatest 

 caution, keeping the sharpest lookout in front and on 

 all sides of me. Even as it was, though I got very 

 close up to my game, they were on foot before I 

 saw them, and I did not get a standing shot. While 

 carefully looking to my footsteps I paid too little 

 heed to the rifle which I held in my right hand, and 

 let the barrel tap smartly on a tree trunk. Instantly 

 there was a stamp and movement among the bushes 

 ahead and to one side of me; the elk had heard but 

 had neither seen nor smelt me; and a second after- 

 ward I saw the indistinct, shadowy outlines of the 

 band as they trotted down hill, from where their 

 beds had been made on the very summit of the crest, 

 taking a course diagonal to mine. I raced forward 

 and also down hill, behind some large mossy bowl- 

 ders, and cut them fairly off, the band passing di- 



