THE ELK, OR WAHTL 273 



about suddenly, broke over a rise of the mountain, and dis- 

 appeared from view. One of the men, remembering that 

 the tide was full, and that the animals could not cross a 

 small bay that divided two cliffs in the sea then raging, 

 predicted they would return and charge them rather than 

 face the surf ; and the words were scarcely uttered before 

 they reappeared over the rise, the male in advance. Low- 

 ering his horns almost to the ground, he charged upon 

 them at his best pace; but they evaded him by swinging 

 themselves out of his course by means of two young firs, 

 and, when the hind passed, they -resumed their march, 

 thoroughly thankful for their escape from an ignominious 

 death. They took excellent care after that to go armed, 

 and this resolution saved their lives several times from the 

 attacks of wild animals. Under ordinary circumstances, 

 however, the elk is as timid as any member of its family, 

 and a cur will keep a herd in motion all day. 



The usual method of killing it in the forests of the 

 North-west is by stalking; and where it is little hunted it 

 may be approached from the leeward to within easy rifle 

 range, and a herd almost destroyed before the survivors 

 become alarmed enough to seek safety in flight. I have 

 killed five out of a herd of twenty in the Coast Mountains 

 before the remainder got out of range, and I could have 

 killed as many more if I wished, by following them up ; 

 for they showed no fear of me, and seemed to look upon 

 me more as a strange than a dangerous creature, if I should 

 judge from their stupid stare, and their indifference to the 

 reports of the rifle. Thousands of them in Oregon, Wash- 

 ington Territory, Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana never 

 saw man, and have no fear of him if he is to their leeward ; 

 but let them once sniff him to the windward, and they 

 would be off like a shot, nor would they stop until they 

 had placed many a mile between him and themselves. If 

 they are once started in an alarmed condition, hunters say 

 they will not halt until they have crossed a stream or lake ; 

 but while this is true in many cases, especially in the open 

 or in sparsely wooded valleys, it does not hold good in the 



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