FOREST AND STREAM. 



419 



In the morning toe weather was still unpromising, How- 

 ever, after breakfast I- collected my things and Dan, Willy, 

 Rebecca— the little girl— and myself " toted " them through 

 to Meganlic Lake, where we found a small gale blowing and 

 the water very rough. After some tJOUbU [D keeping our lug- 

 gage dry we reached Major llcMinn's house, where we 

 stopped for ten mimit.es to warm up and have a chat. The 

 Major offered us the hospitalities of his house, but we hurried 

 on to the foot of the lake, whore we expected to meet Mr. 

 Thomas. Passing Victoria Bay the water was outrageously 

 rough, and the spray from the ours wet us a good deal ; but 

 we met witli no mishap, though our clothes were frozen stiff 

 on our arrival at the landing, having traveled about ten miles 

 against a head wind. Here my usual good luck attended me. 

 Just as we neared the shore I saw a team passing, and 1 

 shouted to the man to stop and take on my luggage to John 

 Boston's. I then learned t hat, the team was going to my very 

 destination at Spring Mill. We had dinner at John's, and 

 then, bidding both Dan and John adieu, away went the team 

 over the awful roads. I followed, ankle-deep in mud, to Mc- 

 Aulay's Camp, some six miles, hoping to catch the gravel train 

 to bring me into ScotstOWIl ; but, after leaving my stuff at 

 the Camp and running a couple of miles down the track on 

 foot, I found the train had left. This, in the face of a driv- 

 ing snow storm, was anything but encouraging, and I began 

 to think I would not get home before Monday, I turned into 

 a Frenchman's shaDty, made madame cook me some supper, 

 while the husband look charge of hche, There was only one 

 room in the house, and seven occupants-r-husband, wife and 

 seven children. Their stove was broken, so they made a fire 

 in the oven, then took out the fire and baked "in the same 

 place. Stayed there tilTlU:30, hoping that the men would re- 

 sume! work that night, but finally gave them up and lay down 

 in my clothes to sleep. I had not lain long when I heard the 

 whistle, and running out 1 made a torch of birch bark, 

 ■"flagged" the train and got on board the engine. There I 

 found the genial superintendent, Mr. McFee, and after un- 

 loading the gravel we ran up to the crossing, took my luggage 

 on board and returned toScotstown in time for a glass of beer 

 and to turn in by midnight. In the morning I got away all 

 right by the seven o'clock train, and arrived at '• Sleepy Hol- 

 low" by eleven, and have just had a midshipman's luxury — 

 a tub, a clean shave and a change of raiment — and shall feel 

 better still after dinner— and the bell has just rung. 



Sherbrooke, Canada. B. 0. Halb. 



For Forest and Stream and Sod and Gun 

 ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLINGS. 



Otjb Second Trip in Korthkblt Dikeotion of Rawems. 



ON the 18th, 10th and 30th of August we were fully en- 

 gaged in buying fresh provisions, some new bedding, 

 as some of it was burned on the day of the eclipse. On the 

 evening of the 18th, our second guide, Tip,asked our permission 

 to slay away for two or three days. The U. P. R. R. Co., in 

 whose service he was before, engaged him and another to 

 pursue train robbers that had tried the night before to wreck 

 the train by undermining the rails. Tip was well armed with 

 a sis-shooter and Frank's Sharps rifle. He was a very 

 courageous man, and had no fear of being killed. We should 

 never see him again. After our return from our second trip 

 we learned that he and his companion were found dead with 

 four and eigltt bullets, respectively, and stripped of rifles and 

 clotheB. We waited over three days for Tip, but as he did 

 not come then we concluded to start for Lanckens ranch, 

 about seveuty-five miles north of Rawlins, on the Sweetwater 

 creek. We had two of our ponies exchanged, one being 

 lame and the other having a sore back : this time we had 

 them all shoed, and putting our whole outfit on a wagon we 

 started on the 



30«A, at about noon. We did not make more than sixteen 

 miles, and put camp up at Bell Springs. Toward evening wo 

 had thunder and lightning, and a very heavy rain storm. 

 The rain was driven right through the tent, making the bed- 

 clothing very damp . 



21st. Left camp at seven. The first part of the day was 

 pleasant, and we enjoyed, after having made eighteen miles, 

 a lunch nt Sand Springs very much. Refreshed, we got in 

 the saddle again and off we went. But now we came into a 

 sandy country, and Lanckin's team was so poor that they 

 could not pull the wagon with only about 700 pounds on. 

 We stuck in the sand, and if it had not been for another party 

 that came close behind us we would never have seen the 

 Sweetwater. They helped us at least a dozen times. In 

 consequence of all these delays we could not get further than 

 Whisky Gap, where we arrived in a rainstorm at 7 o'clock. 

 It was very, unpleasant to cook, cat and put uur tent up while 

 it was blowing a gale. Still after all this we slept pretty 

 sound, and left this Whisky, or Windy Gap as I should like 

 to call it, early in the morning, hoping to reach the ranch 

 the same day. But Jack, as well as the driver, both 

 pretending to know Lancken's Ranch, got out of their reckon- 

 ing, and at last had to confess that they did not know it at 

 all, having never been there. At about 3 o'clock we came to 

 the Sweetwater, where we saw some ranchers, but could not 

 tell us where to find L'Ranch. We stopped here while Jack 

 and the driver rode out in different directions to hunt after 

 the place. After three or four hours they returned after hav- 

 ing found the ranch only five miles off. The Sweetwater was 

 crossed and we arrived at the place at 7 o'clock. GusLanck- 

 en was not here, he had left the previous day for Rawlins, 

 which we regretted very much ; he had taken the shortest 

 road else we would have met htm. All of us were glad to get 

 under L's hospitable roof. It is a real nice little place. Around 

 the buildings, and especially along a small areek, there are about 

 twenty or thirty acres of cultivated land where he raises corn, 

 barley, oats, etc. Near the house is a large vegetable garden, 

 with potatoes, peas, beans, carots, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.; 

 etc. The yard was lined on one side by the brooK and on the 

 other by high, almost perpendicular, rocks. In the centre of 

 the yard you see the dwelling-house, made of logs. The roof of 

 it is ornamented with enormous elkhorus, so that it has almost 

 the appearance of a German forester's house-; inside you can 

 find the horns of smaller game in a great number. Besides 

 this building there were others for horses, cows, hens, etc., 

 and a great hay stack, showing that they were well prepared 

 for the winter. Everything looked clean, nice and neat, so 

 that we felt quite at home right away. Adam Apgar, part- 

 ner of L., who had charge of the ranch during L.'s absence, 

 invited us very kindly into the house and to lake supper with 

 him. This supper— consisting mostly of fresh, eggs, fresh but - 



ter and milk, and what we appreciated much, young potatoes, 

 etc. — was about the best supper we had on our tri] 

 did everything to make his home agreeable to us, and sue- 

 i ' ectly, so that we feel much obliged to him. We 

 had tO wait here until the return of ijus, to say at least three 

 days. Hunting around the ranch was very poor, as game 

 was scarce and wild. I killed some jack rabbits and several 

 cottontails. One day we tried the mountain sheep, but only 

 saw some at a great distance without getting a shot. 



2GM. Frank, Jack and Adam went out but did not kill any, 

 and toward evening Lanekeu returned, having shot an antelope. 

 He agreed to go with us on our trip as guide. We had a very 

 good setpper, consisting of juicy antelope stakes, flapjacks, 

 new potatees and sour milk, which latter was highly 

 appreciated by Frank and myself. One day. during our stay 

 here, Frank went out on Eoo't to itry the mountain sheep, hut 

 intended to be back to dinner. He did not come, and was 

 not back at three. We felt scared about him, and Adam and 

 Frenchy went out in search of him. They returned without 

 having found a trace of him, so that we felt sure he was lost 

 m the mountains. Firing our guns several times had no re- 

 sult. No answer responded, till at about six o'clock we 

 heard the report of a gun, to which I answered with a double 

 shot. An hour was gone, and still he did not come, when 

 we heard three successive shots. Now, knowing that he was 

 in distress, Adam saddled two ponies, and in half an hour 

 they both returned, but Frank in an awful condition. F. 

 had taken nothing with him but a drop of whisk v, and not 

 finding water, he got so exhausted that he could scarcely 

 walk. A milk punch and a good night's rest put him all 

 right again. 



21th, Passed in loading shells and preparing for to-morrow's 

 start. 



28a. Our pack-horses were well loaded, and then! we starteel 

 at 9 a. it., and camped at Sage Hen Creek, about, fifteen miles 

 north. Alter having taken a late dinner, we took our guns 

 and rifles and tried to bring to camp some meat for nexe 

 morning's breakfast. 1 bagged two cotton-tails and a sago 

 hen, while Frank lulled two mallard ducks. Our bed was 

 made up among high sage bush, and soon after we lav down 

 a rabbit crossed our bed, running over Frank's face, disturb- 

 ing him in his soundest sleep. 



29«/L Had an early breakfast, and started at 8. Rode about 

 eight miles, where we put camp up on Horse Greek, a nice 

 little stream running along the foot of Rattlesnake Mountains. 

 The water coming out of the mountains was cold ami clear, 

 but no fish. Not a liviug animal was to be seen in it. The 

 camping-ground was first-rate. Very good grass for the po- 

 nies, several kinds of ripe berries, as currants, red and black, 

 strawberries and gooseberries. The creek was lined on both 

 sides with willows and birch, a good hieliug-place for deer. 

 Although we had taken a good quantity of preserved fruit 

 with us, we picked in a little while two large cans full of cur- 

 rants and gooseberries, which, with sugar, we boiled into a 

 fine preserve for our evening flap-jacks. At about 3 r. m, 

 every one of us went on his own hook hunting. I strolled 

 down the stream to kill a duck or sage hen. Following a 

 trail along the brook, I found fresh tracks of a pony ; and 

 going a little further, I perceived the head and neck of a 

 white horse in the bush, within fifty yards of me. This 

 startled me not a little, thinking of a possible Indian camp. I 

 retreated to our camp, and saw\jack at a distance. Gave him 

 a sign, and he came down. After I had told him what I saw 

 we both went there again, to find an old white mare, which, 

 very likely, was left there by a party, being in such a condi- 

 tion that they could not take it along. We drove, her to our 

 camp, where she joined our ponies for twenty-four hours, 

 only to run off again. Jack left camp again, and came back 

 with a black-tail yearling. This evening we turned in very 

 early, and after a sound and refreshing sleep, we got up in a 

 splendid humor on the 



80th, F. and L. went out in the direction where F. had seen 

 two rams the day before. They saw several herds of sheep, 

 but could not get close enough to have a shot. Jack and I 

 took ponies and "followed the creek up to the head of it, and 

 came through rough country. At the head of the creek, on 

 an open plain, we saw seven old buffalo bulls. We lied our 

 horses and crept through the grass within about 300 yards. 

 We thought to be close enough to kill one of them, and com- 

 menced to fire. Perhaps we wounded one or more, but it 

 took no effect, and the buffaloes ran off, the distance being 

 too great. Following the trail of the buffalo, we came within 

 about 150 yards of an antelope herd with two large bucks. I 

 succeeded in killing one of them. He had a fine pair of 

 horns, which I took to camp. Jack butchered the animal 

 and tied the saddle of antelope on his pony. Pretty hungry, 

 we Teached camp again at three o'clock, to take a hearty din- 

 ner. In the evening F. and L. tried the sheep again, but 

 with the same result as in the morning. 



31«S. Removed our camp to the headwater of the creek, 

 where we had found the buffaloes. Two hours had passed 

 in riding, when we reached this place. Oamp was made near 

 a little creek with good water. The little stream divided our 

 dining and bed room, preventing our tent from catching fire. 

 Alter dinner we took a rest till 4, when Jack and I on horse- 

 back followed a buffalo trail, and soon we saw a black-tail 

 doe with two fawns within ten or twelve yards of us. Of 

 course we did not shoot at them. After an hour's ride, we 

 saw at a great distance a herd of fifteen or twenty sheep, 

 which soon got wind of us and ran. Following them, we 

 crossed a high ridge of rocks, and looking down into a valley 

 at the foot of this hill, there was a very large old buffalo bull. 



We crept along the rocks and tried to get as close 

 as possible to him, but coming not nearer than about 

 200 yards. I fired and heard the bullet strike him, and 

 while he was looking I gave him another ; then he walked off 

 about 100 yards. To get close up to him I had to slide down 

 a steep rook, at least 300 feet, over sharp stones, and when I 

 arrived below I fell as if all the bones of my back were 

 broken. But I did not mind this much, and creeping from 

 rock to rock, I came a little nearer and gave him two more 

 bullets, but without killing him. He ran again a hundred 

 yards, and tins time I crept up to him within seventy or 

 eighty yards, and finished him. fie was a monster. I never 

 saw a larger one since. Jumping upon his carcass, I felt 

 proud, and thought myself a great hunter, and how easy it is 

 to kill buffalo. Now 1 think it is very poor sport. All we 

 saved of him was the tongue and the mane and whiskers ; the 

 horns were split too much and not worth the while to be 

 saved. Jack estimated his weight close up to two thousand 

 pounds. We rode to camp, and halt' an hour later F. and L. 

 returned, reporting that they had wounded a buffalo fatally, 

 but getting so dark they left him with the intention tO butcher 

 him the next morning. 



Sept. 1. F. and L. left camp early for the bull, sure to 

 bring the tongue and some other meal to camp, but were very 

 much disappointed in not finding bun. He was tickled, but 



ot to death, and left this country. Jack and I went in 

 another direction, where we found six buffaloes, of which I 

 tilled three) and filially had t<> kill a fourth thai was badly 

 wounded. 1 felt sah&raed of what I had done, and made a 

 pledge not to kill any more buffalo, which I kept truly. We 

 saved the tongues, one pair nj !,, , >. ,. rs mu i maneB , 



J lie largest of these lour, which was a great deal smaller than 

 that one L killed the previous day, measured as follows • 



Length of this buffalo without tail, Oft. ffin. ; leugth around 

 the breast (haunch), 8ft. Min. ; length around the, body. 9ft 

 4iin. ; length of head, 3ft. if 1 , in.; breadth of front, 1 ft 4in 



Thfi afternoon we rested, hut toward evening Wfl took a 

 little ride, and on the return, being close to camp, we saw a large 

 grizzly coming down the hill toward camp. He must have 

 teen us and changed direction, when we heard the report of 

 J .nnokeii's rifle from the camp. He wounded him, but at this 

 i distance could not kill him. F. and L. were eating 

 sUpperwheu theysawthe ponies rushing around, snorting and 

 excited; they looked around and perceived the grizzly ni about 

 300 yards. 



2d. F. and L. started early in the morning, at 5 o'clock 

 1< . very anxious to get in possession of n, big horn. Jack and 

 I thought of hunting after grizzly and repay his visit, but as 

 three of our ponies had run away, Jack came back too late to 

 make an early start, so we did not leave before. S^ o'clock 

 Ruling and walking alternately among these steep and rocky- 

 hills, we found quite fresh tracks of sheep, and following 

 them, soon got sight of a herd, but very far off. We tied our 

 ponies and crept, very cautiously from rock to rock coming 

 within about 300 or 400 yards. We could not, come any 

 nearer, so we tired at one of them, what we thought a ram 

 and while they were running through a valley ar a distance of 

 about 300 yards, .Tuck killed one, i,„t a ewe. a young buck 

 took the lead, and at last he stopped. Now was my 

 time to shoot, I rested my ride , > D a ; c Bred, and saw him 

 tumbling ; got up ngain, and finally laid down, stretching his 

 "g We both thought he. was. dead. I had to cross a 

 deep ditch with high sage bush, and when 1 came out of it 1 

 saw my dead ram disappearing over the hill. The spot where 

 he was lying there was a large pool r blood, f followed his 

 track a short distance, but then I lost if. Sittinf down on a 

 rock, 1 looked up and saw almost abfive me mi a high rock two 

 sheep, one was a ewe and the other, whose head was behind a 

 bush, I thought to be a buck, appearing larger than the other 

 I fired at this one, and rolling down the" "precipice came a 

 large— no ram— but ewe, which disappointed me badly.' Jack 

 butchered both animals, and we took a good quantity of fine 

 mutton to camp. Hero I found Frank very joHy, excited 

 about a largo mule deer, with a flue pair of antlers, which ho 

 had killed in the morning. Our camp was now well stocked 

 with the choicest meat, as deer, buffalo, mountain sheep and 

 antelope. 



3d. I went to the same place again, where I wounded 

 and perhaps killed the ram. but, not finding him, I saw seve- 

 ral herds of sheep without a buck. We reiurned to camp 

 without firing a shot; so did Frank. To-morrow we intend 

 to move through the Bad Lands, in northerly direction to the 

 Bighorn Mountains; but our plans were crossed by Jupiter 

 Ptuvius, At about :-! e. m. it commenced to rain, and toward 

 midnight we had a heavy rain-storm, for which our tent was 

 not tight enough; I, having the weather side, was almost 

 floating m my bedding. Of course we did not get much sleep, 

 and 9 a. m. we rose with an unpleasant feelinir. A steam- 

 ing hot cup of fragrant coffee made us all feel very 

 comfortable again. We passed this long rainy day with eat- 

 ing, drinking, smoking and telling stories, m which latter 

 Jack was very strong. Jack has such a wonderful memory 

 that he very often remembers more than really happens. It 

 rained all day long, and we lay down in our damp coverings 

 agaiu to find it the next morning sail raining. In the after- 

 noon it cleared up, and Frank and Lancken took their rifles, 

 and strolling around the camp they killed an elk with a nice 

 little pair of horns. I staid in camp to have our beddings dried 

 The night was awful cold, and we felt so chilly that we cot up 

 early in the morning of the 6th of September. M T e entered the 

 Bad Lands, and after having traveled about sixteen miles we 

 put camp up near a little creek. Frank had killed an antelope. 



7th. We started early and tried to find another creek 

 in a northwesterly direction. Twenty-five miles off we 

 found it at last, but no water in it : wo had to make a 

 dry camp— very hard for our poor ponies. Soon after our ar- 

 rival it began to rain, and having no tent poles, because there 

 are no trees in the Bad Lands, we had, after a little supper 

 without coffee, to sleep in open air without tent. Two or 

 three hours later we found that the rain had turned into snow, 

 and in the morning we found ourselves covered with snow! 

 At midnight we were alarmed by the tramping of the ponies : 

 they were scared by a large number of coyotes who came 

 close to our camp. 



8th. In the morning it was snowing yet, but we had the satis- 

 faction of making coffee of the melted snow, and the horses 

 need not su uTer of thirst, it was an unpleasant day. When 

 it stopped snowing F. and L. took a walk up the dry creek, 

 but soon came back for their guns ; they had found a large 

 elk. L. succeeded in killing it ; the horns of it were abnor- 

 mal, having on one side a very heavy beam with eight prongs, 

 while on the other side wore only four short piongs direct out 

 of the. crown. The weight of the animal was estimated at 

 S00 or 000 pounds. Toward evening the snow storm com- 

 menced again, and we passed a most disagreeable night in our 

 wet coverings. lu the morning of the ""0th snow stopped. 

 Thermometer showed 33 V 'leg., elova'.i m was o.ftjll feel'. 

 After dinner we packed up, and at hal t- ; r \i' 



we left this most nasty camp We did not travel very fat- 

 when we found good water and grass; here we stopped, 

 dried our blankets and quilts, and slept a sound sleco, although 

 it was so cold that we found one-half inch thick ice in our 

 water pail. 



10t7i. At six o'clock we had only 8Q£ deg Fahr., and after 

 breakfast hurried away from this cold place, following the 

 creek about twenty miles, where we stopped for this day. As 

 Lancken had told us before, we found the water containing a 

 great, deal of alkali, soda and magnesia. The coffee made out 

 of this water did not taste much of alkali, but still we felt 

 thirsty after it, and I tried to make, lemonade of it with citric 

 acid and sugar, but it tasted like citrate of magnesia, aad no- 

 body could drink it. In the evening and in the morning of the 



11th, we had concerts performed by a large band of coyotes, 

 but as they mixed all the time, flat and minor, we did not ap- 

 preciate, it, much. The morning was bright, promising fair 

 weather. We had traveled about fifteen miles when we 

 struck the Bad Water Creek ; a band of elk driven by an old 

 buck came in sight, and Frank, having a fas', hor.-e, cut them 

 off so that he got within bwenty-fivi yards of the buck, He 

 iired ben en twelve shot; at him and at last killed him in the 

 Bad Water Creek, which the elk had tried to cross, but stuck 

 fast in the mud. The finest and most, regular pair of elk 



