286 MISCELLANEOUS. 



invigorating atmosphere, etc. Our teamster, Steve Bradford, 

 remained with us until the following morning, and during 

 this day took several good fish. On Monday morning he 

 left us to return home. An old hunter and trapper who had 

 previously encamped in the vicinity of our camp, and who 

 had been away several days on a hunting expedition, returned 

 to his camp at this juncture, empty-handed. To our eager in- 

 quiries regarding the prospect of killing a few deer within the 

 next few weeks, he replied that there was scarcely a possibility 

 of our doing so, as at this particular season the does were 

 weaning their fawns and were lying hidden away from them 

 all through the day ; that the fawns being naturally the most 

 timid creatures in the world, would not venture out to feed 

 during the day alone ; that the bucks were also lying hidden 

 away drying their horns, and that each ventured out to feed 

 only at night, and then only for a short time barely long 

 enough to eat a quantity of food sufficient to last them through 

 the following day. He said that had we chosen a time a few 

 weeks earlier or later, we would have found them ranging 

 freely during the day, feeding and exercising, and would have 

 had no trouble in securing frequent and easy shots ; but at 

 this particular time it would be almost impossible to find a 

 deer under any circumstances. 



We were sadly disappointed at hearing such unfavorable 

 news, but resolved to make the best of it, and put forth 

 strenuous efforts to secure at least venison enough to supply 

 our camp during our stay. The old hunter readily consented 

 to act as our guide, and to do his best toward finding a deer. 

 According, early on Monday morning he reported at our 

 tent, armed with a Henry repeating rifle, ready to take the 

 war-path. I took my Stevens breech-loading rifle, of the 

 " Hunter's Pet" pattern, a light but very effective weapon. 

 Poctor hortt, another member of our party, took a breech- 



