CHAPTER VI 



AMONG THE HIGH HILLS; THE BIGHORN OR MOUN- 

 TAIN SHEEP 



DURING the summer of 1886 I hunted chiefly 

 to keep the ranch in meat. It was a very pleas- 

 ant summer ; although it was followed by the worst 

 winter we ever witnessed on the plains. I was much 

 at the ranch, where I had a good deal of writing to 

 do; but every week or two I left, to ride among the 

 line camps, or to spend a few days on any round- 

 up which happened to be in the neighborhood. 



These days of vigorous work among the cattle 

 were themselves full of pleasure. At dawn we were 

 in the saddle, the morning air cool in our faces; 

 the red sunrise saw us loping across the grassy 

 reaches of prairie land, or climbing in single file 

 among the rugged buttes. All forenoon we spent 

 riding the long circle with the cow-punchers of the 

 round-up; in the afternoon we worked the herd, 

 cutting the cattle, with much breakneck galloping 

 and dexterous halting and wheeling. Then came the 

 excitement and hard labor of roping, throwing, and 

 branding the wild and vigorous range calves; in a 

 corral, if one was handy, otherwise in a ring of 



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