THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 269 
near dark so we started to do the night’s work. I got supper and he 
took care of the horses. I cooked some spuds, fried some bacon and 
made some coffee and then we fell to. My friend made the remark 
that we had done a very foolish thing in bringing bacon along, and 
made me acquainted with the fact that bears liked bacon, and was for 
throwing it all away. I told him that I liked bacon also and therefore 
we would keep it. 
While washing the dishes, I heard a noise and imagine my surprise 
on turning around to see my friend fixing a brace against the door. On 
asking him what he was doing, he said that he was not taking any 
chances on having any bears come in while we were asleep, and it was 
then I realized that he was for safety first every time. We then held 
another meeting behind not only closed doors but barred doors. We 
argued the bear problem for a while and then decided to go to bed. 
Some time during the night I was awakened by my friend and 
acquainted with the fact that there was a noise outside and which he 
declared was an animal. I lay there listening for a while and directly 
I heard one of the horses snicker and knowing what that meant I got 
up and went out to the place where the horses were tied and found one 
loose. I tied it up, after which I went back to bed. I forgot to put 
the prop against the door, but my friend didn’t, and before it takes 
time to tell he was out of bed fixing it. Then he came back to bed 
and we went to sleep. 
At three in the morning I awoke and knowing that the early bird 
catches the worm I awakened my partner and suggested getting up. 
He wanted to know what I wanted to get up so early for, and very 
clearly stated the fact that he did not like the idea, but I told him I 
was going and if he did not want to go he could do as he liked. He 
liked the idea less of staying alone, so started to get up. While getting 
breakfast we took up the safety first problem again. Having changed 
my mind about the bear proposition, I decided to go for deer, as I was 
bound to have some kind of meat. 
By 4 o’clock we were ready to start, and though he grumbled and 
said I was crazy to start so early, I noticed that he didn’t lag behind 
all the way to the Meadow. It was daylight by the time we got there, 
so we climbed a hill directly north of us, where we found all kinds of 
bear, deer and elk tracks. Very soon my friend asked me how much 
further I was figuring on going, and said that we must not get out of 
sight of the Meadow or we would get lost and not get back to camp. 
I told him to stay where he was and I would go and see if I could see 
anything, and if not I would be back shortly. 
To get to the top of the hill I had to pass through a patch of brush, 
and on coming out on the other side, what should I see but a big bull 
elk. It was about fifty yards from me, so I raised my gun with all the 
dignity an old hunter could muster and let him have it in the shoulder. 
I was carrying a 40-55 Old Reliable Sharp, single shot rifle. The elk 
made a jump and fell, but instantly regained his feet and ran directly 
towards my friend, crackling down through the brush, breaking the 
little trees and making a noise like a freight train. Almost immediately 
I heard my friend yelling at me with all his might, and my first thought 
was that the elk had charged him. But my fears were short-lived when 
I saw him coming on the dead run completely out of breath. As soon 
as he could talk he said to me, “What in the dickens was that thing? 
It came darn near running over me.” I asked him why he didn’t shoot 
it, but he said he forgot he had a gun, he was so scared. 
I ran out in a clearing and saw my elk over on a ridge about a 
quarter of a mile from me. It was staggering from side to side, and 
