280 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



prowling Indians could guess at our destination and lay a 

 trap for us; for few red men can withstand the tempta- 

 tion of lifting a lot of fine horses and some attractive scalps 

 at the same time. We marched principally at night, and 

 rested during the day, generally in a chasm or piece of 

 woods where we could find shelter and concealment, for we 

 did not want to run any risks. We were even careful not 

 to build any fires, except what was sufficient to boil some 

 tea or coffee and broil a piece of bacon, as we feared the 

 smoke would betray our presence. 



After marching for five nights over treeless plains and 

 pine-clad mountains, we reached our destination, and pitch- 

 ed our camp on the top of a wooded hill that both conceal- 

 ed us and gave us a commanding view of the surrounding 

 country. The day after our arrival it was resolved to lay 

 in a stock of fresh meat, as we had none, and we desired to 

 provision the camp, so that all our time could be devoted 

 to the object of the expedition. This did not seem to be a 

 very difficult matter, for the tracks of deer were numerous 

 everywhere, and the woods fairly swarmed with hares and 

 several species of grouse. The latter were not deemed 

 worthy of the powder to be wasted upon them, however, 

 so we made preparations for an onslaught on the large 

 game. Having saddled our horses and armed ourselves in 

 the most careful manner, we sallied from our forest home 

 and marched toward an extensive valley to our right, which 

 was hemmed in on all sides by high, wooded mountains, 

 and contained several coppices of cotton-woods, alders, and 

 willows, which skirted the borders of streams. It was cov- 

 ered with a luxuriant growth of herbage and wild flowers, 

 and looked as beautiful in the morning sun as any spot 

 could possibly be. It was the ideal of repose ; yet its sur- 

 roundings were full of activity and motion, and gentle pict- 

 uresqueness was contrasted with sublime grandeur. 



Always careful and cautious, the scout, who had gained 

 his experience by many a hard and dangerous lesson, would 

 allow no one to enter it until he had carefully reconnoitred 

 it from two or three directions, for fear any Indians might 



