156 TEN DAYS IN MONTANA. 



them. I saw at once, however, that this would be very diffi- 

 cult to do, for they were on the top of a small ridge that 

 commanded a full view of all the ground within three or four 

 hundred yards of them, except one very small cooley. If I 

 could get into this I could approach within short range of 

 them. But how to get there was the question. I made a 

 wide detour to get to leeward of them, keeping far enough 

 away to prevent them from seeing me. When the wind finally 

 blew squarely in my eye as I looked at them, I commenced 

 the approach. I sought the lowest ground I could find, but 

 go where I would I was in full view of them. Finally I 

 reached a low swale, in which, by lying down, I could con- 

 ceal myself from them. Here I crawled, prone upon the 

 ground, through cactus, sage brush and sharp, flinty stones, a 

 distance of three or four hundred yards. This at last brought 

 me to the cooley or ravine that I so longed to reach. Up 

 this I moved rapidly but stealthily until within about three 

 hundred yards of my game. Here the cooley turned squarely 

 to the left and would not carry me any closer if I followed it 

 further. So I must shoot from here or crawl again. 



Which shall I do? I can hit one of them from here, but 

 am somewhat tired and nervous from my long and laborious 

 crawling, and whether I can put the first ball where it will do 

 the most good is a serious question. Then after the first shot, 

 the subsequent ones must be made on the run, and the dis- 

 tance will render these still more uncertain. So I will crawl 

 again. But the sun has risen, is shining brightly, and as I 

 emerge from the cooley and start up the swale, though I lay 

 perfectly flat, my shadow is thrown strongly against the side 

 of the ridge on the opposite side of the cooley. Will they 

 not see this, and take the alarm? Well, I can onlv hope not, 

 for there is no other course open to me. I move very slowlv 

 now, frequently stopping and peering cautiously over tht, 



