14:0 PIONEEPw LIFE*, OR, 



elk-beds. I told them that we should find them not 

 more than two miles ahead, and proposed that one 

 should go ahead and kill a couple of them, and the 

 others remain behind with the dogs. They desired 

 me to go and when I had proceeded ahout three, 

 quarters of a mile I discovered about ten elk. I 

 raised my rifle, but it had become wet in coming 

 through the snow, and having a flint lock, would not 

 go. I tried three times, when the elk became 

 alarmed, and I waited for the others to arrive. I 

 told Silverheels that my gun was wet, and if his was 

 in order to follow with the dogs, and if they stopped 

 the elk, to kill one. They all went on, leaving me 

 to unbreech my gun. I worked at it about half an 

 hour, unsuccessfully, when, as the snow was falling 

 very rapidly, and I feared to lose the track, I started 

 after the others, overtaking them about seven miles 

 distant. I soon heard the barking of the dogs, and 

 told Silverheels he had better go on ahead, while we 

 would remain, lest so many should alarm the elk. 

 When we heard the report of his rifle we went to 

 him, and found that he had killed an elk. Silver- 

 heels and myself continued on the trail, leaving the 

 others to dress the elk and prepare a camp for the 

 night. When we had proceeded three-quarters of a 

 mile, we found one of the dogs and an elk which 

 Silverheels shot. It was now quite dark, and we 

 left it and went back to the others. They had 

 stretched the skin of the elk across poles to form a 

 shelter, but could not succeed in making a fire out- 

 side, and were compelled to light one under the skin. 





