THIRTY TEARS A HUNTKR. Ill 



our meat, and in two days set out with provisions 

 sufficient for a couple of weeks. Jacob and Wilson 

 ascended the creek to the Big Elk Lick. When 

 they arrived there they counted forty -seven elk in 

 the vicinity. They tied up their dogs in blankets, 

 so that they could not see, hear, or make any noise, 

 and shot eight elk, singling out the largest and 

 fattest. When the first ones fell, the whole herd 

 commenced squealing, creating such a noise as to 

 make the ground tremble. The men had but about 

 a bushel of salt with them, and drove away the rest 

 of the elk, not wishing to destroy wantonly more 

 than they could save. Wilson was inexperienced in 

 elk-hunting, and was alarmed. He said that the 

 elk would 6trike the wounded one, run their horns 

 against the trees, and jump to a great height, some 

 of them touching branches fifteen feet high. On 

 the day they started for the licks Knapp and myself 

 went up the Marsh Fork about five miles, and came 

 upon the track of seven elk, which we followed into 

 the marsh and there encamped. The marsh con- 

 tained about two thousand acres and was surrounded 

 by bluff hills. In high water it was overflowed, but 

 was dry in summer. In the morning I ascended one 

 of the bluffs, where I could see the whole of the 

 marsh, and discovered the elk about half a mile off. 

 After observing them awhile I descended, ate break- 

 fast, and we started out after the elk. I wen 4 : 

 forward, telling Knapp to keep his dog back. As 

 we approached the elk they sprang to their feet and 

 ran off. We let the dogs loose, each taking after 



