RANDOM SHOTS FROM A HUNTER'S CAMP. 



65 



outfit. It is advisable to own your 

 saddle and bridle. 



Take good care to get good disposi- 

 tioned horses. The best of bronchos 

 are none too good in this respect. I 

 remember one old fellow who once gave 

 us no end of trouble, as well as at times 

 considerable amusement. Old " Brig- 

 ham " was a character, not unlike his 

 Mormon namesake. Years of experi- 

 ence had added craft to an already evil 

 temper. Although snow-white in color, 

 he was, nevertheless, the bete noire of 

 the packers and horse wranglers. Upon 

 him devolved the duty of carrying the 

 ammunition, which was packed in two 

 stout wooden boxes, weighing at least 

 100 pounds each. Hardly a day passed 

 without an exhibition of his prowess as 

 a bucker, which finally culminated, the- 

 atrically enough, in a grand climax 

 just as we were going into permanent 

 camp. The stage chosen by the old vil- 

 lain on which to perform, was a wide 

 flat, fully suited to the breadth of action 

 of the piece. 



A sudden rencontre with a vagabond 

 band of Bannock Indians gave old 

 " Brigham " his cue, and with a squeal 

 of rage, down went his nose and up 

 went his heels, faster than one could 

 count. In a moment he had bucked 

 off one of the boxes, and then, starting 

 on a run, with the other box attached 



to the end of a 20 foot lash rope, he 

 circled about in mad fury, the box 

 bounding and whirling at the end of its 

 tether, out and in among the whole out- 

 fit, scattering the pack animals in a 

 grand stampede, and giving the riders 

 much ado to keep clear of the awful 

 engine of destruction, with which the 

 old rascal was running amuck. The 

 box finally went to pieces, strewing its 

 contents far and wide, thus furnishing 

 the bead-eyed Indian youngsters a wel- 

 come chance to display their sharpness 

 of vision for coin, payable on delivery 

 of the findings. 



The guides often claim to have com- 

 plete outfits for rent ; but this depends 

 very much upon the point of view. The 

 old prospector or trapper, with Spartan 

 indifference to comfort, considers a 

 frying-pan and a tin cup a sufficient 

 "outfit," regarding plates, forks and 

 spoons as superfluous luxuries The 

 white enameled ware is sightlier and 

 cleaner than tin, and costs a mere tritle 

 more. The same may be said of the 

 cheap silver-plated knives, forks and 

 spoons. The quality of the provisions- 

 of the frontier stores is not to be relied 

 upon. Purchase your supplies at home, 

 and have the sugar, coffee and such 

 articles divided into small lots, and done 

 up in cotton bags ; pack the whole in 

 boxes about 20 inches wide, 18 inches 



A SKILLFUL AND COMPETENT GUIDE." 



