102 THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 
We tramped on, and as we worked into the timber we looked 
for signs, but no fresh signs could be found until we got well up on 
the ridge. I remarked that I would rather see the signs in the making 
than to see the fresh signs ready made. We didn’t stop long for 
our lunch, but made all the time we could to get in where we were 
sure of better chances. The country is very brushy in places and 
one has to pick his way to keep out of the hard going. By evening 
we had crossed over several small ridges and the main ridge. We 
came to a small lake near the top of the ridge and found a good 
place for the night and left our packs. We looked around to see the 
country and returned to our packs in about an hour. 
On coming back to our packs we looked out over the little lake 
and noticed a black duck swimming near the shore on the opposite 
side. I had a few metal patch shells in my pocket for small game, 
so I took the soft point shell from my rifle and inserted the all-copper 
point shell. I took a careful sight and got the duck. This was a good 
start as we now had some game and was sure of not having to go 
home without game. 
Now we were to have some camp life for the night and the little 
chopping ax was put to work. We had a-plenty of good wood and 
soon had a good fire which was needed badly at this time to dry us 
out. It had rained all day and there was wind enough to drive in 
what we didn’t get off of the underbrush. We built up a shelter of fir 
bows and were soon as comfortable as it was possible to be. We ate 
a good supper and enjoyed the fire and the stillness of the woods. 
The wind died down and the rain could do no harm to us under the fir 
bows. Our fire was burning good and as the time slipped away we 
talked of trips we had taken with other parties and game killed. We 
planned on our course for the next day and wondered what the next day 
would bring. Now and then one of us would throw another stick on 
the fire or move the sticks around to give the most heat. Mr. Eyers 
looked at his watch and said it was 10 o’clock. I looked at mine and 
found him to be correct. The time had slipped away. We had enjoyed 
a very pleasant evening, and as we were dried out we spread our 
blankets and said “Good night.” 
I dreamed of all the Happy Hunting Grounds and when I awoke 
my watch said it was 4 o’clock. I got up and stirred the fire a little 
by pulling the remainder of the logs together and throwing on some 
more sticks. Mr. Eyers sat up and asked if it was time to get up. 
He looked at the time and suggested that we put on the coffee and 
get ready for the day and get an early start for the ridge above. 
“Here is to the buck that falls today,” I heard Mr. Eyers say. I 
lost no time in getting in on that, “Here is to the buck.” 
We ate a hearty breakfast and by daybreak were packed ready 
to move. The wind was coming up and we were at a loss to know 
what the day would be. We started for the top of the ridge and 
had not gone far until the snow and rain began to fly. As we neared 
the top the stronger the wind and it looked at times that we had no 
show to see any game. The wind was so strong that we had to look 
out for falling branches and the dead trees in the burn. A dense fog 
had settled and we could not see more than one hundred yards at 
times. 
We traveled to the southwest around the northwest slope of the 
mountain and saw very few signs of deer. The fog lifted for a minute 
or so and we had a chance to look around and saw a strip of small 
timber farther to the west. This strip of timber ran down a ridge to 
