1 64 HUNTING TRIPS 



well up toward timber line, as lower down 

 horses find it difficult or impossible to get 

 across the valleys. In strong contrast to 

 the treeless cattle plains extending to its 

 foot, the sides of the table-land are densely 

 wooded with tall pines. Its top forms what 

 is called a park country; that is, it is cov- 

 ered with alternating groves of trees and 

 open glades, each grove or glade varying in 

 size from half a dozen to many hundred 

 acres. 



We went in with the pack train two days' 

 journey before pitching camp in what we 

 intended to be our hunting grounds, fol- 

 lowing an old Indian trail. No one who 

 has not tried it can understand the work 

 and worry that it is to drive a pack train 

 over rough ground and through timber. 

 We were none of us very skilful at pack- 

 ing, and the loads were all the time slip- 

 ping ; sometimes the ponies would stampede 

 with the pack half tied, or they would get 

 caught among the fallen logs, or in a tick- 

 lish place would suddenly decline to follow 



