THE WITITETATL DEER. 63 



on horseback, picking out a trail through the 

 bottoms and choosing the best crossing places. 

 Some of tlie bottoms were grassy pastures ; on 

 others great, gnarled cottonwoods, with shiv- 

 ered branches stood in clumps ; yet others 

 were choked with a true forest growth. Late 

 in the afternoon we went into camp, choosing 

 a spot where the cottonwoods were young; 

 their glossy leaves trembled and rustled un- 

 ceasingly. We speedily picketed the horses 

 — changing them about as they ate off the 

 grass, — drew water, and hauled great logs in 

 front of where we had pitched the tent, while 

 the wagon stood nearby. Each man laid out 

 his bed; the food and kitchen kit were taken 

 from the wagon ; supper was cooked and 

 eaten ; and we then lay round the camp-fire, 

 gazing into it, or up at the brilliant stars, and 

 listening to the wild, mournful wailing of tlie 

 coyotes. They were very plentiful round this 

 camp ; before sunrise and after sundown they 

 called unceasingly. 



Next day I took a long tramp and climb 

 after mountain sheep and missed a running 

 shot at a fine ram, about a hundred yards off ; 

 or rather I hit him and followed his bloody 

 trail a couple of miles, but failed to find him ; 

 whereat I returned to camp much cast down. 



Early the following morning Sylvane and I 

 started for another hunt, this time on horse- 

 back. The air was crisp and pleasant ; the 

 beams of the just-risen sun struck sharply on 

 the umber-colored hills and white clifl walls 

 guarding the river, bringing into high relief 

 their strangely carved and channelled fronts. 

 Below camp the river was little but a succeS' 

 3—3 



