43 The Wilderness Hunter. 



later, in the early spring, the riders from the line camp 

 found his body, resting face downwards, with the forehead 

 on the folded arms. 



Accidents of less degree are common. Men break 

 their collar-bones, arms, or legs by falling when riding at 

 speed over dangerous ground, when cutting cattle or try- 

 ing to control a stampeded herd, or by being thrown or 

 rolled on by bucking or rearing horses ; or their horses, 

 and on rare occasions even they themselves, are gored by 

 fighting steers. Death by storm or in flood, death in 

 striving to master a wild and vicious horse, or in handling 

 maddened cattle, and too often death in brutal conflict 

 with one of his own fellows any one of these is the not 

 unnatural end of the life of the dweller on the plains or 

 in the mountains. 



But a few years ago other risks had to be run from 

 savage beasts, and from the Indians. Since I have been 

 ranching on the Little Missouri, two men have been killed 

 by bears in the neighborhood of my range ; and in the 

 early years of my residence there, several men living or 

 travelling in the country were slain by small war-parties 

 of young braves. All the old-time trappers and hunters 

 could tell stirring tales of their encounters with Indians. 



My friend, Tazewell Woody, was among the chief 

 actors in one of the most noteworthy adventures of this 

 kind. He was a very quiet man, and it was exceedingly 

 difficult to get him to talk over any of his past experiences ; 

 but one day, when he was in .high good-humor with me 

 for having made three consecutive straight shots at elk, 

 he became quite communicative, and I was able to get him 



