248 AN EXCURSION. 



must be much more plentiful there than where we' were, and 

 advised our going there later. It seemed to have been the 

 great Indian hunting-ground during the summer; for he had 

 seen several small camps, where, from the number of bones 

 lying about, they must have had great sport. He had seen no 

 bear-tracks, so they had evidently holed up, and we only came 

 across one during our stay, when the bear had probably come 

 out for a time, as they often do in the winter when there is 

 a spell of open weather. 



One day we determined to let the tent take care of itself and 

 have a hunt together ; so we hid most of our valuables on the 

 top of the rock against w T hich the tent was pitched, and rode 

 far into the mountains. When crossing some of the stony 

 ridges we had some desperate scrambling, and frequently we 

 had to lead our horses over places which were only fit for 

 goats. For this kind of work we always found horses better 

 than mules. They no doubt fall more at first ; but when 

 used to mountain work they are much quicker and pleasanter 

 to ride than the latter ; for though a mule very seldom falls, 

 he is continually catching his toe as if about to do so. We 

 had ridden some miles when we came into a beautiful little 

 valley about a mile long wooded hills and picturesque rocks 

 surrounding it, while the grass was first-rate, making it and 

 the small valleys which ran out of it an ideal hunting-ground. 



On our way up the valley we passed an enormous rock, 

 which had at some distant period fallen from above, and 

 which was now covered with a dense growth of small fir-trees. 

 It lay close to the side of a wooded mountain; but some- 

 thing made me ride round to see whether there was room to 

 pass behind it, when I found that there was a circular hollow 



