SPORTING ADVENTURES 



IN 



THE F^LH WEST. 



CHAPTER I. 



HINTS TO SPORTSMEN. 



Hints to Sportsmen. Best Game Regions of the United States. Pro- 

 fusion of Animal Life. Advantages of the Far West as a Hunting- 

 ground. Best Quarters. Inconveniences of Farm-houses for Large 

 Parties. Character of Guides. Resent all Assumption of Superiority 

 on Account of Title or Wealth. Anecdote of their Independence of 

 Character. Action and Reaction. How to select Guides. The Best 

 Animals for Hunting Expeditions. Tents to be used. How and when 

 to pitch them. General Instructions about Camp Life. What Foods 

 and Medicines to use. Bedding and Clothing. Stoves. Fires, and 

 how to build them. How to make a Fire without Matches. Lamps. 

 Best Clothing for Hunting. Treatment of Boots. How to prevent 

 the Feet from Blistering. Moccasins and Slippers. Rubber Goods. 

 Under-clothing. An Antidote for Fever and Ague. How to prevent 

 the Insect Plague. Picketing Horses. Necessity of Vigilance. How 

 Sentinels should be Posted. How to detect the Approach of Objects. 

 Weapons should be Convenient. Thieves. Best Fire-arms. Bul- 

 lets. Breech -loading Shot-guns for Forest Shooting. Woodcraft- 

 Lost in the Forest. Necessity of Observation. Value of a Compass. 

 How to track or trail Animals in Flight. How to procure Water. 

 Telling the Weight, Size, and Movements of Animals by their Tracks. 

 Use of a Field -glass. Qualities of a Successful Hunter. Charac- 

 teristics of Best Nimrods. Difference between Field and Target 

 Shooting. 



THE higher order of game animals are now so scarce in 

 the United States east of the Missouri River that sports- 

 men can have little real hunting until they go far to the 

 west of that noble stream; but if they would enjoy it to 

 an unusual extent they must cross the Rocky Mountains ; 



