THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 41 



out from our place of rendezvous about a month. 

 We were joined at this point by the three other com- 

 panies. One of our pack-horse men was anxious to 

 change places with some one, as he was not accus- 

 tomed to the woods, and did not like to lie out alone 

 for fear of wolves and panthers. Mr. Harris asked 

 if any of the men in the company of surveyors was 

 willing to pack. They all declined, when one named 

 John Strawbridge asked me if I was not willing to 

 take the post. I consented to try it for two or three 

 weeks. On Monday all hands started from the camp 

 and two companies went to the west side to survey. 

 On Tuesday morning I took two horses loaded with 

 provisions and started for the two companies on the 

 west side of the river. I had to go about nine miles 

 up the creek before I struck off to the west. I was 

 to remain by the creek that night, on account of the 

 pasturage it afforded the horses. About three o'clock 

 in the afternoon I unloaded the horses, turned them 

 out to feed, and made a fire. As I was seated by my 

 fire, I heard a strange sound proceeding from some- 

 thing a short distance up the creek. It' wa6 now the 

 last of June, the season for the ^lk to come to the 

 creek and eat moss. I looked up and saw as many 

 as twenty of them, about fifty rods above me. I \et 

 them feed quietly, not caring to disturb them. I ate 

 my supper, looked to my horses, which were feeding 

 on the blue grass, and then went to the river to look 

 again at the elk. The stream was full of them, eating 

 the moss and drinking. Twenty-two more had ar- 

 rived, making in all forty-three. 



