WOLVES AND BEARS. 237 



not stop to molest, but increasing our speed 

 reached our quarters for the night, just as the 

 shadows of the western plain indicated that we 

 should not behold the orb of day until the 

 morrow. 



Our camp was near three conical hills called 

 the Mamelles, only about thirty miles from Fort 

 Union, although we had travelled nearly fifty by 

 the time we reached the spot. After unloading 

 and unsaddling our tired beasts, all hands as- 

 sisted in getting wood and bringing water, and 

 we were soon quietly enjoying a cup of coffee. 

 The time of refreshment to the weary hunter is 

 always one of interest : the group of stalwart 

 frames stretched in various attitudes around or 

 near the blazing watch-fires, recalls to our minds 

 the masterpieces of the great delineators of night 

 scenes ; and we have often at such times beheld 

 living pictures, far surpassing any of those con- 

 tained in the galleries of Europe. 



There were signs of grizzly bears around us, 

 and during the night we heard a number of 

 wolves howling among the bushes in the vicinity. 

 The service berry was abundant, and we ate a 

 good many of them, and after a hasty prepara- 

 tion in the morning, started again after the 

 buffaloes we had seen the previous evening. 

 Having rode for some time, one of our party who 

 was in advance as a scout, made the customary 



