68 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



ran around the bend, closely pursued by the dog, and in a 

 short time I knew by his barking that he had them at bay 

 again. 



Running in the direction of where the dog was barking, 

 as soon as I rounded the bend I saw a beautiful sight. 

 About one hundred and fifty yards distant, three Elk were 

 in the water up to their knees. They were standing in the 

 form of a triangle, with their heads outward, and the dog 

 was circling around them. Their method of protection was 

 complete; it was death to the hound had he dared to 

 venture within reach of those horns or hoofs. Raising the 

 sights of my rifle, I fired three shots, each of which fortu- 

 nately found vital spots, and the three Elk soon lay dead 

 in the water. 



As the majority of the herd had run up the Elk-trail 

 which wound, broad and well defined, up the banks of a 

 creek that emptied into the lake at this point, I started in 

 pursuit. I had not gone far when I heard the dog barking, 

 and a few moments later an Elk came rushing down the 

 trail, with the dog howling at his heels. I sprang into the 

 bushes, and holding my rifle at my hip, fired, striking him 

 in the heart. He was so near me that the burning powder 

 singed the hair on his side. After I cut his throat, the dog 

 lapped the blood, and then started off into the bushes. 



As it was near sunset, I concluded not to venture farther 

 in the woods, but to sit down on a log and rest. In a short 

 time I imagined I could hear the dog baying faintly. The 

 sound gradually drew nearer, and at last I could hear a 

 great crashing in the bushes. This finally ceased, and all 

 was still save the distant baying of the dog. While watch- 

 ing the trail intently, I saw a large object come swimming 

 down the creek. I stepped toward it, when it saw me, 

 turned, swam to the other side, and began to ascend the 

 bank. This proved to be another Elk, and with three tell- 

 ing shots I brought it down. 



I now walked down the lake, and on rounding a bend in 

 the shore saw a camp-fire blazing, half a mile below. I went 

 to it, and found my friends bivouacked for the night. They 



