IN THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS. 89 



back into Montana again. The mountains are thickly covered 

 along the eastern side with pine timber, mostly small, from 

 three to twelve inches in diameter, and six to fifty feet high. 

 This timber would be useful for fence posts, railroad ties, 

 telegraph poles, etc., if it could be gotten out, but will prob- 

 ably not be used for many years to come on account of the 

 great labor and expense that would have to be incurred in 

 getting it out. There are no streams large enough- to raft it 

 on, and hauling by teams down through the moun- 

 tains would be slow and tedious, not to say hazardous. 

 To build a railroad to this locality would cost so much 

 that it will be a long time before capitalists will be 

 found to furnish the funds for such an undertaking. In some 

 localities the timber runs larger than that I have described. 

 We have seen a few trees that would cut several hundred feet 

 of clear lumber each, but they are not numerous at this high 

 altitude. The numerous small parks or meadows, which are 

 covered with a superior quality of grass and surrounded by 

 this thick growth of timber, make this a favorite resort for 

 large game in the winter season. The only drawback to its 

 being a fine grazing country for cattle is the heavy snow-falls 

 in winter at this altitude. 



Near the top of the range we found a fresh track of a 

 mountain buffalo. We dismounted, picketed our animals, 

 and followed his trail. When we found that we were very 

 near him and saw by his track that he was feeding, we 

 deployed, Jack going to the left of the trail, I to the right, 

 and leaving Huffman to follow on the trail. I made a bee 

 line for a high crag a quarter of a mile ahead, and had no 

 sooner reached the top of it than I saw him quietly grazing 

 and browsing on some weeds among the rocks, about a 

 hundred and fifty yards to my left. I dropped on one knee, 

 drew a bead on him and pulled. I distinctly heard the dull 



