394 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



probably have taken refuge in one of the wooded ravines which 

 scored the mountain's side. 



We decided to beat out each ravine separately ; this could 

 easily be accomplished, as Jem could ride along the bottom when 

 practicable, or, if not, he could ride or walk along the edge, and 

 throw stones into the dry stream-bed. At the same time I would 

 dismount, and keep 150 yards in advance, along the margin of the 

 ravine upon the opposite side. 



In this careful manner we beat out three ravines upon the right 

 front of the spot where the wapiti had crossed the stream. There 

 remained a large ravine which came from a shoulder of the 

 mountain, that formed a hollow upon the ridge or saddle. I felt 

 sure the wapiti must be hiding somewhere among these places. 

 Telling Jem to wait at the bottom until I should have a clear start 

 of 150 yards up the hill, I rode through thick sage-bush up the 

 incline, until I reached the desired position. It had been agreed 

 that Jem should whistle if he saw the wapiti within the covert. 

 I did not dismount, as the sage-bush was exceedingly tough and 

 disagreeable. I therefore kept my horse well ahead of the position 

 of the beater, which I -could tolerably guess from the clatter of his 

 horse's feet among the stones. I was about half-way up the hill, 

 when I heard a loud whistle ! 



I did not dismount immediately, but spurring my horse, I 

 pushed forward straight up the hill as fast as possible. It was 

 well that I did so ; had I been on foot I could not have arrived at 

 a good position ; for although I had pressed Buckskin to the 

 utmost, a splendid stag broke covert about 1 20 yards ahead of me, 

 and turning to my left, galloped across my front. By the time I 

 had dismounted and fired, he was about 150 yards distant ; but he 

 fell almost immediately on his side, and although the body was 

 invisible in the tall sage-bush (as I looked up hill), one antler 

 stood high above the surface like the dead branch of an oak tree. 1 



Seven stags now broke from the ravine about 200 yards in 

 front, and most unfortunately took a line of retreat parallel with 

 the gully directly up the hill ; thus nothing but rumps were turned 

 towards me. Confident in the power of the rifle, I put up the 

 back-sight for 250 yards, and took a steady shot. I heard the 

 bullet strike, and I saw the stag ruu suddenly to the left, and then 



1 The antlers of this stag measured 

 From extreme point in curve to the burr, 59f inches. 



,, ,, ,, of backward bend of main antler to extreme point of 



longest front tine, 3~i inches. 

 Round the burr, 13 inches. 



