CHAPTER XIV. 



The Scenery Our Winter Quarters A Lean-to The Country "White Tails 

 Black Tails Spruce Deer Ashlata. or Bighorn Antelopes Bears 

 Wolves Foxes Pumas Lynx and other Game Th Snow-storm An 

 empty Larder. 



WE entered the valley which, for the time, was to be our 

 home, by the "Gate of the Plains," followed the old Fort 

 Garland trail until we came to an abandoned log-hut and 

 corral, which had been a road-station when Fort Garland 

 was in course of construction, and thence made our way up 

 Wet-mountain Valley as best we could. There was no longer 

 track or trail but those of wild animals. 



As we emerged from the head of the canon, most charm- 

 ing pictures opened out to us, and, what pleased us 

 more, we not only continually crossed the fresh tracks of 

 game of many kinds, but often, on looking up the different 

 side valleys whose mouths we passed, saw the animals who 

 had made them. Streams of clear mountain water were 

 rippling and sparkling down each vale ; grass, timber, 

 and game were all round us ; every few minutes new and 

 varied scenes of beauty and grandeur presented themselves 

 to our eyes. A warm haze mellowed and blended the 



