THE WAPITI OR ELK 55 



I moved slowly, as the guide directed, but soon begun 

 stepping on sticks, and was aware that I was not doing 

 the thing just right. Bang went a riile off to my right, 

 and, in a few moments, I heard another report to the 

 left and somewhat in advance of me. Aware that the 

 game was afoot, I ran hastily forward, seeking to join 

 the guide, and as I ran, bang went his rifle again still 

 ahead and to the left. 



Soon I saw the guide and joined him. He was 

 standing beside the prostrate form of a huge elk. 

 Prostrate, I believe, is the word always used when elk 

 are down. "Did you miss him the first time, Sam?" 

 1 inquired. "No. Shot 'nother one," he said. "Where 

 is he? "said I. " Over there," said he, pointing. "Fell 

 in deep hole — bad place get 'em out — so I shot this 

 one." 



He was soon at work with his knife, eviscerated the 

 game, cut off the head and lower part of the legs, and 

 then we returned to camp and, procuring a horse, 

 brought out the carcass and hung it up in a tree. My 

 friend in the meantime fired a few more shots and re- 

 turned to camp with a headless blue-grouse. He had, 

 he said, a fair shot at an elk standing broadside, but hit 

 a tree in front of him and made a very large hole in 

 the tree. He admitted having a mild case of "buck 

 fever." It was a long time after this before I killed an 

 elk. I could see, however, that it was an easy matter 

 for Sam. The game was by no means wild, and ran 

 but a short distance after his first shot. 



Our camp for the night was made in the edge of the 

 timber. For supper we had trout, blue-grouse and 

 tenderloin steaks from the elk, and never have 1 iiKirc 



