THIRTY YKAR8 A HUNTER. 143 



my opinion about our next movements, and I told 

 them we could do nothing until the snow had settled 

 so that the dogs could run. We returned to our 

 camp and waited two days for a thaw, but the wea- 

 ther became colder, and we concluded to go home. 

 "When we had arrived within six miles of Kenzua, 

 'xibson gave out, and could go no farther. We 

 made him a fire, and when we reached the settle- 

 ment, we sent back a man and horse to bring him 

 in. This was the second time that I failed to take 

 an elk alive, after having attempted it, and in this 

 case we should have probably succeeded, had we not 

 been prevented by the deep snow. 



In August, 1820, I left Kenzua Flats, in company 

 with John Campbell and Robert McKean, for the 

 head waters of the Susquehannah River, to take an 

 We hired two Indians, named Morris Ilalftown 

 and John Geebuck, with a packhorse, to assist us. 

 L had never taken an elk alive, in summer, but with 

 good dogs I thought we might, as they would be 

 most likely to flee to a creek or * er. I had killed 

 many that I might have caught if I had attempted 

 it. We encamped the first night on a small stream 

 flowing into the Kenzua, seventeen miles above the 

 Kenzua Flats. The following day Campbell, myself, 

 and the two Indians went to look for elk-tracks, each 

 taking a different direction, leaving McKean to keep 

 camp, take care of the horse, and cook. We all 

 returned at twelve o'clock, as had been agreed upon 

 except Halftown, who came in about half-past one, 

 having, about nine miles from the camp started seven 



