26 A Hunting Trip 



away with considerable speed. It was re- 

 markable how it disappeared from sight in 

 a place so barren. 



Toward evening, while we were returning 

 to camp over a high ridge above vegetation, 

 two black-tail deer were jumped, one, the 

 largest we saw on the trip, now adorning the 

 library of the writer. During the night it 

 started to rain and this continued for hours. 

 The " patter-patter " of the rain on the 

 stretched canvas makes sweet music to the ear 

 of the hunter, tired after a long tramp in 

 search of game, and quickly soothes one to 

 sleep. In the morning the ground was covered 

 with snow, giving the surroundings a pictur- 

 esque appearance, but the beautiful coat of 

 white snow soon disappeared. A hurried break- 

 fast was taken and before the peep of day in 

 the eastern horizon two forms could be seen 

 slipping quietly up the mountain pass, happy 

 in the expectation of obtaining the object 

 of their ambition. When the summit was 

 reached, the sun was just rising above the 

 horizon, indicating that the day would be hot 

 for sport, but we trudged along; when sud- 



