AMONG THE ANIMALS OF THE YOSEMITE 181 



bushes, but also the "botanical names of the 

 bears." 



The most famous hunter of the region was 

 David Brown, an old pioneer, who early in the 

 gold period established his main camp in a little 

 forest glade on the north fork of the Merced, 

 which is still called " Brown's Flat." No finer 

 solitude for a hunter and prospector could be 

 found ; the climate is delightful all the year, and 

 the scenery of both earth and sky is a perpetual 

 feast. Though he was not much of a " scenery 

 fellow," his friends say that he knew a pretty 

 place when he saw it as well as any one, and 

 liked mightily to get on the top of a command- 

 ing ridge to " look off." 



When out of provisions, he would take down 

 his old-fashioned long-barreled rifle from its deer- 

 horn rest over the fireplace and set out in search 

 of game. Seldom did he have to go far for veni- 

 son, because the deer liked the wooded slopes of 

 Pilot Peak ridge, with its open spots where they 

 could rest and look about them, and enjoy the 

 breeze from the sea in warm weather, free from 

 troublesome flies, while they found hiding-places 

 and fine aromatic food in the deer-brush chapar- 

 ral. A small, wise dog was his only companion, 

 and well the little mountaineer understood the 

 object of every hunt, whether deer or bears, or 

 only grouse hidden in the fir-tops. In deer- 

 hunting Sandy had little to do, trotting behind 



