WAPITI-RUNNING ON THE PLAINS 77 



twenty wapiti were in sight. Having mutually 

 settled what we were to do, in a few hurried whis- 

 pers, we selected each man his deer, fired all to- 

 gether, and loaded and fired again as fast as we 

 could. Wapiti are so stupid that when they do 

 not get your wind, or see you, they will bunch up 

 together and stand, poor things, some little time in 

 a state of complete terror, uncertain which way to 

 run or what to do, and we got several shots into 

 them before they started, and when at length they 

 did set oflF they went in such a direction that we 

 were able to cut them off again by running across 

 at an angle. We did so, and, making another care- 

 ful stalk upon them, found them all gathered to- 

 gether, looking about in all directions, and quite 

 bewildered at being unable to see or smell the 

 danger to which they were exposed. Signalling 

 our horses to come up, we got three or four more 

 shots at the elk before they made up their minds to 

 start, and when at last they did get under way, we 

 rushed to meet the horses, threw ourselves into the 

 saddle, and started full gallop after them. 



Fortune again befriended us, for the deer ran 

 round a steep bluff, and, by taking the other side of 

 the hill, we succeeded in cutting them off again, 

 and rode in right on the top of the herd, yelling and 



