226 CRUISINGS IN THE CASCADES 



had good strong-shooting, long-range rifles. Though 

 they shot heavy charges, yet, the wind in their favor, 

 at this long distance, the animals would scarcely 

 hear the reports. The leader advised them to shoot 

 only at animals broadside, and gave them careful 

 directions as to elevation and where to aim. Evans 

 opened the fire with a sixteen-pound 50-calibre 

 Sharp' s. Immediately after the report the emphatic 

 " thud " of the bullet came back and a large cow was 

 seen ta drop on her knees, get up again, stagger 

 away a few rods and lie down. 



u Good," said the old hunter. "Now, Pete, 

 you go." 



"Pete fired, and an old bull whisked his tail, 

 walked sullenly away, turned around a few times, 

 and fell dead. Another complimentary remark from 

 the old hunter, and then he said: 



"Now I guess I'll try one." 



He fired, but to his great chagrin did just what he 

 had cautioned the others not to do, broke a fore leg 

 below the knee. This cow commenced to bellow 

 and "buck," and in an instant the whole herd was 

 in commotion. 



" Stop her, somebody, stop her, or she' 11 stampede 

 the hull bizness!" he said, as he pushed another 

 bullet into his muzzle loader. By this time she had 

 stopped broadside, for a moment, at the edge of ' the 

 herd, and the journalist, at the order of the boss, drew 

 a bead on her. The ' ' spat ' ' of the heavy bullet told 

 of a palpable hit." She no longer felt like running, 

 but was not yet down and it took two more bullets to 

 lay her out. The next shot was a clean miss, so far 

 as it concerned the animal shot at, but it wounded 



