CHAPTER XIII. 



HUNTING ON THE CLARION RIVER. 



In November, 1817, William Gibson, Joseph Hook 

 and myself started for the head waters of Kenzua 

 Creek and Clarion River, to capture and bring home 

 a live elk. The}' were to defray all the expenses 

 and own one-half the elk when caught. They hired 

 an Indian named George Silverheels, to assist, pay- 

 ing him a dollar a day. On arriving at the head 

 waters of the Kenzua, we built a camp. Hook and 

 myself then went to look for elk-tracks, leaving the 

 others at the camp to cook provisions. About four 

 miles northeast of the camp we found the tracks of 

 quite a herd, which we followed for a mile and a 

 half, when we found where twenty-nine had lain in 

 the snow. We concluded to return to the camp, but 

 it soon became dark, and we-found it very difficult 

 to follow our track back. We arrived there about 

 eleven o'clock, and informed them that we had 

 tracked twenty-nine. I told Silverheels, in Indian, 

 that I thought they were all middling-sized does and 

 fawns, and did not think there was one we would 

 wish to catch. The following day, each man carry- 

 ing provisions for six days, we set out, accompanied 

 by four dogs. About ten o'clock we reached the 



