CROSSING THE ROCKIES IN '61. 



Maj. W. H. Schieffelin. 



Continued from page 56. 



I HAD made a great mistake in hopes. Fortunately I had no buck 

 the selection of a rifle at the ague. Probably I was too hungry to 

 start, for instead of buying a have it. I selected the best animal 

 breech loader, then just coming into in the bunch, aimed behind his 

 use, I had selected a fine muzzle shoulder, and fired. The old shaky 

 loader, of the old Leather-stocking musket did its work well. Down 

 type. In loading it I had to start the went the antelope; then he jumped 

 ball with a short ramrod, and then up and ran, but not in the same di- 

 force it down with a long one, which rection the others had taken. I fol- 

 took so much time and exertion, lowed him about a quarter of a mile, 

 that I seldom fired the gun, and so when I found him dead. 1 cut his 

 was not as good a shot as I no doubt throat, and cleaned him. The ball 

 would have been, at the end of the had gone true and smashed his should- 

 journey, had I taken a breech loader, er. I put his hind legs over my 

 About two weeks after leaving Fort shoulder and started for the camp. 

 Benton, we ran out of fresh meat. The boys had seen the hunt and 

 We found no game for several days its successful termination, so they 

 and so were in hard luck. I borrowed soon met me with a horse, relieved 

 the Half-breed's gun, an old musket me of my load, and we had a feast, 

 which was patched with tin and tied It was fortunate for us that the ante- 

 together with copper wire. Lock, lope were of a curious and inquiring 

 stock and barrel all seemed to be nature, 

 loose. One lovely Sunday morning, * * * 

 we saw a bunch of antelope about How we did enjoy this wild life ! 

 three miles away, so we determined We had perfect health, good appe- 

 to remain in camp and I set off to tites, unbroken rest at night, wrapped 

 try for one. I got up to within 500 in our blankets and buffalo robes, 

 yards of them, but could get no near- with our saddles for our pillows, and 

 er, as there was no more shelter, so I the stars for our canopy. We did not 

 lay down in the grass, took the ram- however, enjoy so much, the cry of 

 rod out of the old rifle, put my red the half-breed cook, just before day- 

 handkerchief on the end of it, and break: " Leve " (wake up). When 

 stuck it in the ground. I had read this unwelcome summons came we 

 and heard about the influence of a red had to turn out, whether ready or no, 

 rag on these animals but did not half and sometimes to break the ice in 

 believe it. However, I had supplied our water-pails for our morning's 

 myself with the red handkerehief at wash. At such times we wished we 

 the Fort, so as to be ready for an were in a good warm, bed, at home, 

 occasion like this. and that we could sleep till noon. 



Much to my surprise and pleasure, * * 



the antelope, as soon as they saw it, In crossing the mountains, we met 



began to approach slowly. It seemed a party of Flat Head Indians who 



to me that it took them a long time, were going over to the Missouri basin 



but it probably was not more than to hunt buffalo. We found a few 



half an hour before they were within inches of snow on the divide, but had 



75 yards of me, standing still and a very pleasant trip. We had to find 



giving me an excellent chance for our own way, as there was little or 



a shot. I knew that hungry men were no trail — only one wagon having 



waiting for my shot with anxious gone over the year before. It was 



us 



