ELK. 167 



of hills, pushes into every place where there appears a 

 chance for cover, and, finally, when all have failed, he 

 squats in some bunch of grass or sage bush and receives 

 the coup de grace without resistance or struggle. 



I have had a number of such chases, and, though 

 several times I have been near enough to be by courtesy 

 ' in at the death,' I am obliged to admit that I have never 

 run an elk down and killed it. 



In 1867 I went with several gentlemen on an elk 

 hunt in the Loup country. I had with me six Pawnee 

 Indians, and, as the Sioux were at this time very hostile, 

 a small force of infantry. We had several days of fair 

 sport, and bagged all the meat needed by the party. 



We camped one night on one of the head tributaries 

 of Wood Eiver. This stream is hardly a stream, there 

 being but little running water ; but it has cut through the 

 deep alluvial of the c bottom ' a most crooked channel, 

 about thirty feet wide by at least twenty feet deep. 

 This chasm is filled with trees and underbush, forming 

 an almost impenetrable jungle. Next morning, just as 

 we had finished breakfast, an Indian informed me that a 

 large buck elk had gone into the channel some half a 

 mile below. We determined on a chase. The north 

 side of the stream being most favourable, I sent the 

 Indians below the elk, with instructions to drive him by 

 us on the north side. 



I was mounted on an excellent, powerful, and long- 

 winded horse, but not, however, remarkable for speed. 

 One of the party was riding a regular ' quarter horse,' 

 exceedingly fleet for a short distance, and he was selected 

 to break the elk's trot. 



We had but fairly crossed the chasm and settled all 

 preliminaries, when there carne trotting by with free and 

 easy grace one of the most magnificent bucks I have ever 

 seen. He passed within twenty-five yards of us ; and, 

 with a shout that made the welkin ring again, we dashed 

 after the game. 



