58 HUNTING TRIPS 



small patches of fenced farm land and graz- 

 ing land; but I hope against hope that I 

 myself shall not live to see this take place, 

 for when it does one of the pleasantest and 

 freest phases of western American life will 

 have come to an end. 



The old hunters were a class by themselves. 

 They penetrated, alone or in small parties, to 

 the farthest and wildest haunts of the ani- 

 mals they followed, leading a solitary, lonely 

 life, often never seeing a white face for 

 months and even years together. They were 

 skilful shots, and were cool, daring, and reso- 

 lute to the verge of recklessness. On any 

 thing like even terms they very greatly over- 

 matched the Indians by whom they were sur- 

 rounded, and with whom they waged con- 

 stant and ferocious war. In the govern- 

 ment expeditions against the plains tribes 

 they were of absolutely invaluable assistance 

 as scouts. They rarely had regular wives or 

 white children, and there are none to take 

 their places, now that the greater part of them 

 have gone. For the men who carry on hunt- 



