THE GREAT NORTHWEST 267 



the geese. We had scarcely finished our task when 

 we heard their first " honk ! honk ! " Down into the 

 pits we tumbled like gophers, and crouching together 

 with scarcely breathing room we saw flock after flock 

 sail over without giving much attention to our painted 

 sham-geese. Then another flock came which had more 

 curiosity. To and fro they sailed by us, circling 

 around to find out if things were " on the square," 

 each circle bringing them lower and lower until 

 we were satisfied they were within gunshot. Then 

 up we jumped and blazed away. And the geese 

 flew off apparently untouched, but only apparently ; 

 we saw one of them lag behind, then drop a little, 

 then rise to the flock, and in a second or two tumble 

 headlong a quarter of a mile away. Another faltered 

 and fell a half a mile away. We found the first with 

 the aid of a dog, hidden in a bunch of grass ; the 

 other, for which we searched in vain, was found by a 

 cowboy two days after. 



Thus early in the morning and evening we were in 

 the pits enjoying this most exciting sport, and bagged 

 enough geese to supply us with all we could use, and 

 an occasional one to give away. At this season of the 

 year they are fat and delicious eating. 



Six gentlemen of our party started on a " big game 

 hunt " into the district of the Gold range of moun- 

 tains which abounds in caribou, grizzly and black bear, 

 Rocky Mountain goats and mountain sheep. They 



