CHAPTER X. 



ELK-HUNTING — CONTINUED. 



Tn 1800, a party of four, my brother Jacob, George 

 Wilson, Joshua Knapp, and myself proceeded on an 

 elk-hunt. Expecting the campaign would last about 

 6ix weeks, we took an abundant supply of provision!:, 

 consisting of flour, potatoes, sugar, chocolate, corn, 

 and a quantity of salt with which to cure our meat. 

 We were also provided with half a dozen empty 

 barrels for the meat, an iron pot holding about six 

 gallons, a camp kettle, four axes, a broad axe, a chalk 

 line, a canoe howel, (an instrument for scooping out 

 canoes,) a drawing knife, two augurs, six tomahawks, 

 and several pounds of powder and lead. Each of us 

 took, besides, a rifle, two knives, a quart cup, four 

 shirts and two blankets, not forgetting a supply of 

 soap. Thus equipped, and accompanied by four 

 dogs, we set out, placing our effects in a canoe, whicii 

 two of the party pushed up the stream, while the 

 others hunted along the shore. We left on the 12th 

 of October, starting for the Big Meadows. The 

 second day we saw seven elk, in the river, eating 

 moss. As Knapp said he had never killed an elk. I 

 told him to take two of the dogs and go. As the 

 dogs started for the elk, two does turned, advanced 



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