266 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE ELK, OR WAPITI. 



The Wapiti. Its Range, Haunts, Habits, and Gait. Fierce Contests be- 

 tween the Males. How they may be detected by the "Shaking." 

 Courage of the Elk. Two Men charged by a Couple in Oregon. The 

 Escape. Novel Mode of killing it in the North-west. Thousands 

 never saw Man. When started, said not to stop until it crosses Water. 

 How Herds run when in Flight. Their Speed and Endurance. The 

 Elk as a Roadster and Saddle Animal. Hide-hunters. Great Slaugh- 

 ter of the Animal. Why Hinds lead the Columns. How to Hunt it 

 successfully in the Forest and on the Plains. Dr. Carver's Great Feat. 

 The best Weapons. How to Shoot on Horseback. The most Ex- 

 citing Run I ever had after it Bagging a Stag. Pursuit of a Hind, 

 and why she was Captured. Escape of a Fawn. Surprised by Indians. 

 The Assembly. Our Plans and Stratagems. A Running Fight. 

 Loss of the Indians. Find Refuge in a Chasm. Death of one of our 

 Men. He is mutilated, and burned to Death. Our Retreat. Suffer 

 from Hunger. Loss of our Camp, and Escape of the Camp Guard. 

 Where we found Safety. A Scalp Dance. Unusual Abundance of 

 large Game. We kill sixty Elks in Colorado. Lassoing Fawns. 

 Visions of the Sport. 



THE so-called elk, or wapiti (Cervus canadensis) , is found 

 in every grand division of the region west of the Rocky 

 Mountains, its range extending from California in the south 

 to British America in the north ; but it is most numerous 

 between the parallels of thirty-eight and fifty-two, where, 

 in many instances, it was formerly seen in herds numbering 

 from fifty to five thousand. It is more abundant in the 

 Coast Range, where it passes through Oregon and Wash- 

 ington Territory, than in any other section, so far as I could 

 learn; yet it is also common in the wooded portions of 

 Northern California, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, 

 Dakota, British Columbia, and in the beautiful and ex- 

 tensive natural parks of Colorado. Being exceedingly 

 gregarious in habit, where one is found there are sure to 



