346 SHEEP-RANCHES. 



a cowshed, close against the back of a ranche, in broad daylight 

 and carried off a calf. These, however, are exceptional cases, 

 and although I have killed seventy-four grizzlies, most of them 

 by myself, but some in company with other men, I have only 

 had two of them charge me unprovoked, and one of these I all 

 but rode over. They always seem to be in a great hurry to 

 get away, though they will turn and fight if wounded and you 

 are near them at the time. 



We remained two days at Martinsdale, the whole talk being 

 of sheep, which were then beginning to be introduced into that 

 part of the country. When I visited the Judith Basin in 1884 

 I found the whole of it a mass of sheep-ranches, and not at all 

 improved by the change,, a sheep-ranche being a very unpleasant 

 place to stop at, the immense number of sheep tainting the 

 whole air. Soon after I left, on that occasion, began what was 

 almost a war between the cattle and the sheep men, the one 

 industry interfering with the other, as cattle will not graze on 

 ground where sheep have been. I believe there is now peace 

 once more, the district having been divided ; but even yet the 

 " cow man " has not a good word to say for the " sheep man," 

 and I have often been warned by the former never to stop at a 

 sheep-ranche, as they would feed me badly and charge hotel 

 prices. Having received great kindness from both, I need 

 hardly say that this is all prejudice. 



The day is fast coming when these large ranches must dis- 

 appear, as from the cattle and sheep remaining on the same 

 ground all the year round the grass is giving out, and already 

 very large districts in Wyoming, Montana, and Dacotah have 

 had to be abandoned. 



When I was in the last-mentioned State four years ago there 



