THE WHITE TAIL DEER. 63 



on horseback, picking out a trail through the 

 bottoms and choosing the best crossing places. 

 Some of the bottoms were grassy pastures ; on 

 others great, gnarled cottonwoods, with shiv- 

 ered branches stood in clumps ; yet others 

 were choked with a true forest growth. Late 

 in the afternoon we went into camp, choosing 

 a spot where the cottonwoods were young; 

 their glossy leaves trembled and rustled un- 

 ceasingly. We speedily picketed the horses 

 changing them about as they ate off the 

 grass, drew water, and hauled great logs in 

 front of where we had pitched the tent, while 

 the wagon stood nearby. Each man laid out 

 his bed ; the food and kitchen kit were taken 

 from the wagon ; supper was cooked and 

 eaten ; and we then lay round the camp-fire, 

 gazing into it, or up at the brilliant stars, and 

 listening to the wild, mournful wailing of the 

 coyotes. They were very plentiful round this 

 camp ; before sunrise and after sundown they 

 called unceasingly. 



Next day I took a long tramp and climb 

 after mountain sheep and missed a running 

 shot at a fine ram, about a hundred yards off ; 

 or rather I hit him and followed his bloody 

 trail a couple of miles, but failed to find him ; 

 whereat I returned to camp much cast down. 



Early the following morning Sylvane and I 

 started for another hunt, this time on horse- 

 back. The air was crisp and pleasant ; the 

 beams of the just-risen sun struck sharply on 

 the umber-colored hills and white cliff walls 

 guarding the river, bringing into high relief 

 their strangely carved and channelled fronts. 

 Below camp the river was little but a succes 

 33 



