The Bison or American Buffalo. 251 



pass from some neighboring valley, and after drinking 

 and feeding had moved into the pine forest to find some 

 spot for their noontide rest. 



It was a very still day, and there were nearly three 

 hours of daylight left. Without a word my silent com- 

 panion, who had been scanning the whole country with 

 hawk-eyed eagerness, besides scrutinizing the sign on his 

 hands and knees, took the trail, motioning me to follow. 

 In a moment we entered the woods, breathing a sigh of 

 relief as we did so ; for while in the meadow we could 

 never tell that the buffalo might not see us, if they hap- 

 pened to be lying in some place with a commanding 

 lookout. 



The old hunter was thoroughly roused, and he showed 

 himself a very skilful tracker. We were much favored 

 by the character of the forest, which was rather open, and 

 in most places free from undergrowth and down timber. 

 As in most Rocky Mountain forests the timber was small, 

 not only as compared to the giant trees of the groves of 

 the Pacific coast, but as compared to the forests of the 

 northeast. The ground was covered with pine needles 

 and soft moss, so that it was not difficult to walk noise- 

 lessly. Once or twice when I trod on a small dry twig, 

 or let the nails in my shoes clink slightly against a stone, 

 the hunter turned to me with a frown of angry impatience ; 

 but as he walked slowly, continually halting to look ahead, 

 as well as stooping over to examine the trail, I did not 

 find it very difficult to move silently. I kept a little be- 

 hind him, and to one side, save when he crouched to take 

 advantage of some piece of cover, and I crept in his foot- 



