32 



then attached the horse to the large rope, a man took 

 each a small rope behind; and one of the hands 

 started the horse. When the elk first started, he 

 plunged about considerably, and became entangled 

 in the rope ; but one of the hands drove him back, 

 and we took a fresh start. At the end of three 

 hours we reached Big Pine Creek, one mile from the 

 place of starting. Here we met with no further ob- 

 struction, as the ice was slightly covered with snow 

 and had thawed a little, so that the elk found a good 

 footing. We threfore proceeded without difficulty 

 the next five miles, when we arrived at Morrison's, 

 and placed our captive in a stable. Before we had 

 taken the elk farther a heavy rain came on and 

 broke up the ice in the river. Our horse ran off and 

 was drowned, and we took our elk home, eight miles 

 down the river, on a float. We wrote to Stevenson, 

 informing him that we had captured the elk, and 

 asking him if he was willing to give up the bet with- 

 out having it conveyed to his house. He replied that 

 he had learned of the capture, and that he cheerfully 

 gave up the stakes without farther trouble. 



This was the first grown elk that was caught alive 

 on the waters of the Susquehannah. It was sixteen 

 hands high ; its horns were live and a half feet long, 

 with eleven branches. 



