BEAR STORIES 103 



the east side, Colonel Hart and the Doctor were 

 to pass the day in camp, as the latter, being ad- 

 vanced in years, was somewhat tired. Our plan 

 was to ride up along the creek to the foot of the 

 mountains about five miles distant, and there tie 

 our horses and hunt on foot through the timber 

 belt. The Lieutenant, although a young man 

 then, had already seen considerable service and 

 specially distinguished himself during a rising 

 of the Araphoe Indians. He also knew enough 

 of woodcraft to be able to hunt alone. On reach- 

 ing the foothills we picketed our horses, the Lieu- 

 tenant's a big cavalry horse, and mine, a mustang 

 or Indian pony. Just at this point there was a 

 large patch of heavy spruce trees gradually 

 dwindling in size as we ascended the mountain, 

 till the timber line was passed. This patch was in 

 the shape of a triangle with its apex near the 

 creek. Our lunch and every other cumbersome 

 thing were left with our horses, as we had a steep 

 climb before us. We arranged to climb up on 

 tne open portion east of the timber, and then 

 coming down, each of us was to take one side of 

 the wood, meeting at the bottom if no game was 

 found- We expected in this way that if either 

 of us started any large game, he would have a 

 chance of a shot, while at the same time driving 

 it towards the other. On arriving above the tim- 

 ber line we sighted three elk, but they were so 

 far off that we decided to leave them alone for 



