THE WAPITI 283 



cows when let alone scattering out to graze, and some 

 of them even lying down. Accordingly I did not hurry 

 myself, and spent considerably over an hour in slipping 

 off to the right and approaching through a belt of small 

 firs. Unfortunately, however, the wind had slightly 

 shifted, and while I was out of sight of the herd they had 

 also come down toward the spot from whence I had been 

 watching them. Accordingly, just as I was beginning 

 to creep forward with the utmost caution, expecting to 

 see them at any moment, I heard a thumping and crack- 

 ing of branches that showed they were on the run. With 

 wapiti there is always a chance of overtaking them after 

 they have first started, because they tack and veer and 

 halt to look around. Therefore I ran forward as fast 

 as I could through the woods; but when I came to the 

 edge of the fir belt I saw that the herd were several hun- 

 dred yards off. They were clustered together and look- 

 ing back, and saw me at once. 



Off they started again. The old bull, however, had 

 neither seen me nor smelt me, and when I heard his 

 whistle of rage I knew he had misinterpreted the reason 

 for the departure of his cows, and in another moment he 

 came in sight, evidently bent on rounding them up. On 

 his way he attacked and drove off one of the yearlings, 

 and then took after the cows, while the yearling ran toward 

 the outlying bull. The latter evidently failed to under- 

 stand what had happened ; at least he showed no signs of 

 alarm. Neither, however, 'did he attempt to follow the 

 fleeing herd, but started off again on his own line. 



I was sure the herd would not stop for some miles, 



