CARIBOU AND BROWN BEAR 177 



miles from camp we went before we saw any animals 

 with horns that were satisfactory, but we failed to get 

 them. The retm'n march was wearisome. The most 

 direct route lay across the lava-beds at the foot of the 

 volcano. A few "deer," as Mike called them, were to be 

 seen on the flat expanses of volcanic ash, but the rutting 

 season had not yet begun and we could not approach 

 the animals in the perfectly open country. A few shallow 

 creek beds ran through the lava, but generally did not 

 lead in the right direction for getting up to the animals. 



After fording a half dozen rivers and climbing the 

 steep hills between them we arrived at the crest of the 

 flat mountain, on the farther side of which our camp lay. 

 There was not a blade of grass or moss in this wide expanse 

 of volcanic dust and broken stone. The sun set while 

 we were still traveling here and fog and rain shut out all 

 landmarks. Elting's feet were badly bruised and cut 

 through the mukluks which he had worn all day. We 

 had to bring the pocket compass into use to reassure our 

 direction, but even this was not very certain. Once, 

 however, the fog lifted enough to show Mike a draw in the 

 side of the hill which he recognized. A mile more we 

 traveled and came to the edge of the steep flat mountain. 

 We looked over the precipice and saw our tents six hundred 

 feet below. A long sUde down through the sand and 

 broken stone and we were in camp, tired and hungry. 

 We had walked more than thirty miles and had nothing 

 to show for it. 



Nor had Kleinschmidt and Young any better luck 

 with the gun, though the former secured some excellent 

 moving pictures of caribou, as a reward for his long tramp. 

 Dr. Young, however, soon paid the penalty for his temerity 

 in trying to be a young fellow like the rest of us and wade 



12 



