102 Hunting the Grisly 



,x 



chiefs. A frying-pan, some salt, flour, bak- 

 ing-powder, a small chunk of salt pork, and a 

 hatchet, made up a light pack, which, with 

 the bedding, I fastened across the stock sad- 

 dle by means of a rope and a spare packing 

 cinch. My cartridges and knife were in my 

 belt; my compass and matches, as always, in 

 my pocket. I walked, while the little mare 

 followed almost like a dog, often without 

 my having to hold the lariat which served as 

 halter. 



The country was for the most part fairly 

 open, as I kept near the foothills where glades 

 and little prairies broke the pine forest. The 

 trees were of small size. There was no regu- 

 lar trail, but the course was easy to keep, and 

 I had no trouble of any kind save on the sec- 

 ond day. That afternoon I was following 

 a stream which at last "canyoned up," that is, 

 sank to the bottom of a canyon-like ravine 

 impassable for a horse. I started up a side 

 valley, intending to cross from its head coulies 

 to those of another valley which would lead 

 in below the canyon. 



However, I got enmeshed in the tangle of 

 winding valleys at the foot of the steep moun- 

 tains, and as dusk was coming on I halted 

 and camped in a little open spot by the side 



