ON THE SHEEP RANGES 33 



kept up, the horses would come about the tents and 

 almost beg for them. They would stand about them all 

 day, and feed mostly at night when the swarm tem- 

 porarily retired from the cold. They scarcely ever went 

 far from camp and constantly returned, as if coming back 

 home, and it was not necessary to keep them hobbled. 

 In a few days most of the mosquitoes seemed to leave the 

 vicinity of the tents, though enough remained to compel 

 us to take precautions to avoid them. 



July 1 8. We were ready to start at eight in the 

 morning; and, asking the men to flesh the bearskin, I 

 started for the divide. Rungius had already preceded 

 me, intending to descend the stream on the other side. 

 I can never endure a companion or a "guide" when 

 actually hunting. I want to be alone among the hills 

 and wild mountains, with freedom to observe. In the 

 solitude of the wilderness, the animals, birds, rocks and 

 flowers become companions. I carried my rucksack, 

 which contained a kodak, a sweater, a tin cup, tea, a 

 little sugar, chocolate, and a cracker. While hunting I 

 never wore a coat, but could put on the sweater when 

 it became cold. My footgear, leather moccasins, was 

 nearly perfect for this country. Lightness and noiseless- 

 ness were the main objects required, and moccasins were 

 not slippery except on the bearberry or cranberry leaves, 

 and at times on wet slopes. One soon learns how to 

 walk in them, what ground to avoid, and how to descend 

 over rock and grass slopes. My rifle was a Mannlicher, 

 256 calibre the same one that I had already used for 

 big game during the three previous years. The car- 



