A DAY IN THE IDAHO ROCKIES 



low where it had started to roll. It proved to be a three-year- 

 old female, with a heavy coat of rich, brownish fur. One of 

 the bullets had torn an ugly hole through its lungs, but the 

 bear had not shown any signs of being hit at the report of 

 the rifle. 



During the morning we had been continually crossing and 

 recrossing the very fresh tracks of a band of seven elk, which 

 included one very large bull. They were travelling toward the 

 head of the cafion. After we had finished skinning the bear, Ed 

 suggested that we attempt to overtake these elk before dark, 

 w^th the result that we pulled and rode our horses around 

 bowlders and over rock-slides for two hours longer. 



About three o'clock, while we were slowly riding over a 

 stony ridge which extended out into the cafion from the left, 

 Ed suddenly flattened himself on his horse's neck, and, backing 

 the animal several yards, dismounted, and pulled the Savage 

 from its scabbard with a smile of anticipation upon his weather- 

 beaten countenance. Together we cautiously crept over the 

 bare ridge for almost seventy-five yards. Then, screened by a 

 log, we gazed down into a small round basin beyond. Two 

 hundred yards distant, across the rushing mountain -torrent, 

 two cow elk gazed inquiringly at the spot where they had a 

 few minutes before had a fleeting glimpse of Ed's head. The 

 remainder of the band were evidently lying down, concealed 

 in a thicket of stunted spruces several yards to the right. Ed 

 asked me if I would shoot one cow for him, as he might not get 

 a good chance at the second after the first report. I nodded, 

 and covered the animal to the right with the sight. 



Both reports rang out simultaneously. One elk dropped 

 instantly, while the second staggered several yards and pitched 

 forward in a clump of small trees. At the reports of the rifles 

 four more cows burst into view, dashing madly down the cafion 

 to the steady accompaniment of spiteful cracks from Ed's 

 Savage. About three hundred yards farther up the cafion the 



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