i86 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



of surpassing loveliness, and once when on suddenly 

 emerging from the shady depths of a dark pine forest, 

 I found myself on the sedgy shore of a little lake, set 

 like a gem in the bosom of the fragrant woods, the 

 picture presented to me was so exquisitely beautiful 

 that it seemed to be the realisation of a scene that had 

 been flashed across my mental vision in some still half- 

 remembered dream. Only in my dream there had 

 been wild creatures feeding by the water's edge, as 

 indeed there might have been in the actual picture I 

 have endeavoured to describe ; for we found tracks of 

 both wapiti and mule deer on the grassy slope which 

 lay between the lake and the surrounding forests, but 

 these wary animals do not nowadays often show them- 

 selves in any open place during the daytime. 



During the month of September, as I have said, I 

 hunted with but little luck. I had, however, one ex- 

 cellent chance at a young wapiti bull. Having seen 

 pretty fresh tracks when out by myself late one after- 

 noon, I proceeded to look for the animals that were 

 responsible for them early the next morning. It was 

 still early when, having climbed to the summit of a de- 

 tached range of hills, in company with Jinks, we caught 

 sight of two wapiti hinds amongst the pine-trees at 

 the foot of the slope. Taking stock of the hinds, we 

 at once commenced to descend towards them, hoping 

 to find that they were stragglers from a herd, with 

 which we hoped there might be a big bull. We got 

 down the hillside as quickly as possible and had just 



