BLACK TAILS. 131 



found solitary ones, sometimes two or three, and but rarely 

 as many as a dozen together. 



" Black- tails," large-bodied, short-legged deer the bucks 

 dressing a hundred and fifty pounds, the does propor- 

 tionably heavy were on the mountain sides, the alps, and 

 the most elevated of the small mountain valleys ; being 

 only seen in the plain when crossing from range to range. 



Large black-tail bucks we often found alone, but it was 

 not unusual to see twenty or thirty black-tails in a herd. 

 On one occasion thirty-seven were counted. 



Last and least, "spruce-deer," of which a few small 

 bands ranged high up the mountains ; fat, short-legged 

 little fellows, about the size of goats, very hard to find and 

 kill, but furnishing the best of venison. Above, far up en 

 the rocky snowy peaks, were droves of the ashlata or big- 

 horn the American equivalent for the argali of Asia a 

 true sheep in all respects, though their wool does resemble 

 hair, and whose mutton is, so far as I can judge, the best 

 in the world. In the larger valleys were several herds of 

 antelopes, averaging about twenty head, but in the " park " 

 was one of over seventy. They were all very wild and 

 wary, rendered so by being continually chased by packs of 

 wolves. 



Quantities of elk antlers lay in some of the most 

 retired valleys, some so large that a pair being set up on 

 its points would form an arch high enough to walk under 

 without stooping ; but we saw no elk. The " sign " of 

 bears black, brown, and cinnamon was everywhere; but 

 they were "housed for winter." Grislies were said to be 

 habitants of the country, but I do not believe they were. 



K 2 



