278 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



A person can seldom visit a cabin hidden in the forest 

 without finding a deer or two suspended outside the door, 

 while he may see dozens of splendid mountain trout, a barrel 

 of fresh salmon, or the whitefish of the Pacific, inside. The 

 consequence is, that some persons live there in almost Oriental 

 idleness, for many might say, as one said to me, " Why, 

 what's the use of working ? 1 can kill all the meat I want in 

 the woods, and catch all the fish I want with a grasshopper, 

 and grow all the wine I want in my back garden, and all the 

 fruit and vegetables 1 want in that patch behind the house, 

 and I can kill deer and bears enough to supply me with 

 clothing and whisky. Now, why should I work hard, when 

 I can get everything I want without it ? " 



I learned from this man that he had earned over a hundred 

 dollars by selling deer-skins alone in one winter, but as he 

 could not realize more than fifty cents or a dollar for each 

 skin, he must have slain one or two hundred of the animals 

 to obtain that amount. I asked him how he managed to kill 

 so many, and he replied that he never allowed a hound to run 

 a deer in his district, and if he found one doing so he either 

 poisoned or shot it. These pot-hunters never allow hounds in 

 what they call their own country, if possible, as they say that 

 the deer are driven off by the baying and running, and if 

 pursued much that they desert the region for good. 



In Oregon and Washington Territory, however, the animals 

 are largely hunted with hounds of all grades, from the half- 

 bred mongrels to harriers, fox-hounds, curs, and Indian dogs. 



The best dogs, and those most prized for the general pur- 

 poses of hunting in that country, are those that are rather 

 small, keen of nose, and have a rich, musical voice. 



Large hounds would be of little use in many parts of that 

 densely wooded region, as they cannot well force their way 

 through the matted shrubbery and heavy fern brakes without 

 much severe labour, whereas small ones can easily pass under 

 the entwining branches, or scramble through the tangled 

 mass. They are not so liable either to get footsore or leg 

 weary as ihe others; hence one can hunt with the same pack 

 dav after day by dividing it into detachments. 



J / *, 



