34 



HUNTING TRIPS 



it was not necessary to take many articles. 

 Behind my saddle I carried a blanket for 

 bedding, and an oil-skin coat to ward off the 

 wet; a large metal cup with the han- 

 dle riveted, not soldered on, so that 

 water could be boiled in it; a lit- 

 tle tea and salt, and some biscuits; and a 

 small water-proof bag containing my half 

 dozen personal necessaries not forgetting a 

 book. The whole formed a small, light pack, 

 very little encumbrance to stout old Manitou. 

 In June, fair weather can generally be 

 counted on in the dry plains country. 



I started in the very earliest morning, 

 when the intense brilliancy of the stars had 

 just begun to pale before trie first streak of 

 dawn. By the time I left the river bot- 

 tom and struck off up the valley of a wind- 

 ing creek, which led through the Bad Lands, 

 the eastern sky was growing rosy; and soon 

 the buttes and cliffs were lit up by the level 

 rays of the cloudless summer sun. The air 

 was fresh and sweet, and odorous with the 

 sweet scents of the spring-time that was but 



