1 8 A Hunting Trip 



the afternoon's hunt, we returned to camp in 

 good time for our share of the speckled beau- 

 ties caught by the cook and browned to perfec- 

 tion. The following morning a late start was 

 made because one of the horses had wandered 

 from the band and was not found for several 

 hours. At this point we left the course of the 

 stream and started up the backbone of a ridge 

 where the ascent was very steep for many 

 miles through chaparral, stunted pines, and 

 scrub oaks. Higher and higher we climbed 

 by a serpentine path, around, through, under, 

 and over trees in all stages of decay, with their 

 roots intertwining each other and reaching 

 out in every possible direction as though 

 searching for nourishment in the very bed- 

 rock. The trees were so close, at times, it 

 was difficult for the pack-horses to squeeze 

 through and we held our breath waiting the 

 effect of the squeeze as we saw our water-proof 

 rubber-bags torn by snags, but each turn 

 brought us a little higher until we reached an 

 altitude of little vegetation. On the way we 

 flushed several covies of blue grouse, which 

 would utter their crackling cry of alarm as 



