4^ SPORTING ADVENTURES 



When that was finished, the bear was skinned and the flesh 

 distributed equally among 1 all the hunters ; but it became a 

 delicate question as to who should receive the claws. I relin- 

 quished all pretensions to them however in the promptest 

 manner, and this was reciprocated by the chief giving me the 

 hide. The claws were then divided between the chief and the 

 wounded warrior, and the latter I know felt as delighted with 

 them as if he had captured the scalps of several of his foes. 



As the injured man could not be moved, it was decided to 

 rest one day to see if he would improve, and if not, to leave 

 him behind and push ahead as rapidly as possible to make up 

 for lost time. A second reason for remaining a day longer in 

 camj), though it was only mentioned incidentally, was to pro- 

 cure meat, for the destruction committed by the grizzly had 

 placed several on very short, rations, and his flesh could not 

 supply the loss. The women were commanded to secure wood 

 for the fires, and while they were engaged in that work the 

 braves went on a deer hunt. Their success was greater than 

 could be expected, owing to the abundance of the animals and 

 their unsuspicious character, as most of them had probably 

 never seen man; so twelve mule deer were brought into camp 

 in the evening. A\ hen we began to draw near the wigwams we 

 heard the wailing of women, and this announced to us at once 

 the fact that the young brave was dead. On entering the 

 canyon I noticed that all the female friends of the deceased 

 were grouped around his tent and howling fearfully, while 

 his aged lather and his brothers sat apart in gloomy 

 silence. 



Every person in camp visited the iepee of the young man 

 and took a last glance at his features, but they were so ghastly 

 that I was glad to hasten away and forget their expression. 

 iSo person indulged in a word of condolence to his parents, and 

 the only comments T heard made by the men was a simple 

 tf too bad." As the chief would not wait another day in camp, 

 the friends of the deceased dug a rude giave and placed him and 

 all his paraphernalia in it without any other covering than his 

 clothes. AVhen this simple and hurried ceremony was over, 

 two of his niustanii's and three do^'s were killed and their skins 



