I40 A Hunting Trip 



loose with hobbles, feeling assured they would 

 not attempt to go homeward, especially as 

 there was plenty of feed and water. Follow- 

 ing a good supper and restful slumber for 

 ourselves, the next morning, after breakfast, 

 found us travelling down the valley — for we 

 had entered near its source, and our informa- 

 tion was that game was more plentiful in its 

 lower parts; so we were anxious to reach the 

 likely places at once. Tall, stately pines grew 

 upon either side of the beautiful stream flow- 

 ing along the floor of the valley, as it me- 

 andered its rippling way towards the Pacific. 

 Occasionally the call of jays resounded sharp 

 and clear in the still air, as they sported among 

 the pines; and several species of woodpecker 

 were observed as they flew from tree to tree, 

 and their busy, hammering thud could be 

 heard in all directions. Frequently the noise 

 of our advance startled the graceful white- 

 tails, while quenching their morning thirst; 

 and with a bound they would forsake the run 

 — occasionally looking back in evident won- 

 dering as to what strange beings we were and 

 what we were doing there, as they trotted ofl" 



