A HUNTER'S CAMP-FIRES 



it reached the opposite shore is very doubtful, but we hoped that 

 it had. We expected warmer weather, but, instead, the days 

 following were cold and clear, and although each day we rode 

 over the surrounding country from morning until night, we 

 were unable to strike any fresh bear- trails. One day we jumped 

 one of the yearlings belonging to the first female killed, which, 

 after a short run, eluded tRe hounds by taking refuge in a cave 

 among bowlders. During the hunting we saw a number of 

 coyotes and mule-deer, but the only other signs of life in this 

 bleak country were the range cattle and horses. One day we 

 met four cowboys driving a herd of about eighty bulls across 

 country. As they slowly travelled through the sage-brush in 

 a dense cloumn, the mass of these heavy and sinister-looking 

 beasts presented quite an impressive sight. 



Our time being limited, and spring still seeming to be distant, 

 after several more days of hard_ riding we cetermined to return 

 to Cebolla. Unfortunately we attempted a short-cut to the 

 railroad, over the top of a high mesa, where we found four feet 

 of crusted snow and were obliged to turn back, reaching the 

 cabin during the afternoon. Early the next morning we started 

 toward civilization by the route which we had followed in 

 coming into the country. 



About noon the pack-train was siowly winding along the 

 willow-covered slopes of the valley of the Gunnison w^hen one 

 of the men, turning around in his saddle, discovered a black 

 bear on a rocky point three-quarters of a mile behind. The 

 pack-horses had passed quite close to this animal without dis- 

 turbing it while it had been industriously digging roots under 

 a ledge of rocks. Our pack of bear-dogs had been reinforced 

 until it now numbered fourteen. We rode back as rapidly as 

 possible, and turned them all loose on the unsuspicious bear. 

 While they were yet quite a distance away some of the hounds 

 sighted the game and immediately gave tongue. At this the 

 beast looked up, and then disappeared among the rocks with 



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