OFF FOR THE WILDS 199 



one side of a mountain and down the other, with two 

 places where the trail went up at an angle of forty- five 

 degrees and came down on the other side at even a 

 sharper pitch, the cayuses frequently sliding down hill, 

 that being easier than walking and safer. The trail 

 passed through some very thick underbrush, at times 

 higher than the horses' heads. In the tangled mass 

 were blueberries, a few raspberries, elderberries, fire- 

 weed, great masses of wild rose bushes with scarlet 

 seed pods, maiden hair ferns, tansy, sassafras, purple 

 asters, squaw pinks, Queen Ann's lace, etc. 



Bird life was but poorly represented. A few yellow 

 hammers, a species of western bluebird, a humming 

 bird and one meadow lark, with several " fool-hen " 

 grouse, were all that we saw. The twenty-one-mile 

 trail was covered in a little over six hours, and we were 

 all happy when it was finished. 



So here we are, safe and sound, more than 4,000 

 miles from home, in the wildest and roughest kind of 

 country, amid wonderful scenery, bracing air and, 

 thank God, a cloudless sky, a warm sun, plenty of 

 provisions, clothing, ammunition, firearms and cameras 

 everything, in fact, to please and to satisfy both 

 mind and body. To-morrow aye, to-morrow we'll 

 be off for adventures new in the " great unknown." 



