154 BOOK OF A HUNDRED BEARS 



its spring round-up of elk. In the mating season, 

 the elk gather by thousands. MacBride says 

 there are forty thousand elk in the Park. It 

 seems incredible; he knows, however. Bands of 

 six to eight thousand are not uncommon. When 

 the spring opens and the fresh grass starts and 

 the time for new families arrives, the mating is 

 done here. It is said to be a wonderful sight. 

 Thousands and thousands of elk, the bulls bellow- 

 ing and fighting, love-making and marrying, and 

 then away to the high hills for the summer season. 



Much of the water in the valley is unfit for use, 

 but here and there is a spring of pure water care- 

 fully protected. 



As a free citizen, I have a right to criticise my 

 government, and I think I can see many ways in 

 which the Park administration might be better; 

 but, in all justice, a great work has been done 

 here. The road system is worthy of unstinted 

 praise. All the roads are good, well graded, well 

 kept, and many of them are macadamized. 

 Throughout the summer the main roads are sprin- 

 kled, so that there is no dust — that plague of reg- 



