The Bison or American Buffalo 29 



as to find any of these animals must work his 

 hardest, and show all his skill as a hunter if 

 he wishes to get one. 



In the fall of 1889 I heard that a very few 

 bison were still left around the head of Wis- 

 dom River. Thither I went and hunted faith- 

 fully; there was plenty of game of other kind, 

 but of bison not a trace did we see. Neverthe- 

 less a few days later that same year I came 

 across these great wild cattle at a time when 

 I had no idea of seeing them. 



It was, as nearly as we could tell, in Idaho, 

 just south of the Montana boundary line, and 

 some twenty-five miles west of the line of 

 Wyoming. We were camped high among the 

 mountains, with a small pack-train. On the 

 day in question we had gone out to find moose, 

 but had seen no sign of them, and had then 

 begun to climb over the higher peaks with an 

 idea of getting sheep. The old hunter who 

 was with me was, very fortunately, suffering 

 from rheumatism, and he therefore carried a 

 long staff instead of his rifle; I say fortunately, 

 for if he had carried his rifle it would have 

 been impossible to stop his firing at such game 

 as bison, nor would he have spared the cows 

 and calves. 



About the middle of the afternoon we 



