THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 29 



spot where the dogs had held the elk at bay in the 

 water as we judged, about four hours. After the elk 

 left the water he hud gone about two miles and com- 

 menced feeding. When we had proceeded a short 

 distance, we found the elk lying down. He sprang 

 up as we approached, and stood looking at us until 

 we were quite near him. We then let loose the two 

 dogs which had not run the day before. They pur- 

 sued him very closely about six miles and stopped 

 him, until we came up. We then let the other dogs 

 go, thinking he would go to some rock where he 

 could ward off the attack of the dogs. He however 

 took a southern course toward Big Pine Creek, and 

 after running about four miles, got upon a rock on 

 five side of the hill. But here he was so warmly 

 attacked that he could no 4 : maintain his position, and 

 so he started on again, ran about four miles farther, 

 and backed up against the root of an upturned tree, 

 where he again stood at bay. We then endeavored, 

 by standing upon the trunk of the upturned tree, to 

 throw a rope over his horns, but did not succeed. 

 He started again, taking a southerly course toward 

 the second fork of Big Pine Creek, and stopped on a 

 large rock. At sundown we stopped within two 

 miles of him, and one of the party went forward a 

 short distance, and discovered where he was by the 

 barking of the dogs. We then concluded to proceed 

 as it was a bright, moonlight evening, and reached 

 the rock about eight o'clock. We built a large fire 

 within a few feet of the rock, and about eleven o'clock, 

 we made the dogs come and lie down by the fire. Ai 



