BIRCH BROWSINGS 171 



find the lake. If I succeeded and desired them to 

 come forward, I was to fire my gun three times; if 

 I failed and wished to return, I would fire it twice, 

 they of course responding. 



So, filling my canteen from the spring, I set out 

 again, taking the spring run for my guide. Before 

 I had followed it two hundred yards it sank into 

 the ground at my feet. I had half a mind to be 

 superstitious and to believe that we were under a 

 spell, since our guides played us such tricks. How- 

 ever, I determined to put the matter to a further 

 test, and struck out boldly to the left. This seemed 

 to be the keyword, to the left, to the left. The 

 fog had now lifted, so that I could form a better 

 idea of the lay of the land. Twice I looked down 

 the steep sides of the mountain, sorely tempted to 

 risk a plunge. Still I hesitated and kept along on 

 the brink. As I stood -on a rock deliberating, I 

 heard a crackling of the brush, like the tread of 

 some large game, on a plateau below me. Suspect- 

 ing the truth of the case, I moved stealthily down, 

 and found a herd of young cattle leisurely browsing. 

 We had several times crossed their trail, and had 

 seen that morning a level, grassy place on the top 

 of the mountain, where they had passed the night. 

 Instead of being frightened, as I had expected, they 

 seemed greatly delighted, and gathered around me 

 as if to inquire the tidings from the outer world, 

 perhaps the quotations of the cattle market. They 

 came up to me, and eagerly licked my hand, clothes, 

 and gun. Salt was what they were after, and they 



