Aug. 11, 1892.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



118 



HUNT IN THE ROCKIES. 



IN THREE PARTS— PART I. 



It is hardly necessary to state that months of prepara- 

 ion and the usual fond anticipations were all gone 

 brough with before the arrangements were completed, 

 tly old companions in many a hunt, Messrs, A. 0. Kep- 

 ^, of Lancaster, and Frank B, Blood, of Conneaut, O., 

 auxious to go but could not. "Kep," one of the 

 ardent and efficient hunters and trappers in the 

 States, and a royal good fellow, was building a 

 luse and could not get away. Blood, the man with 

 of iron and deadly aim, was an important witness 

 •t, and compelled, much against his will and incli- 

 lations, to forego what we considered the most gigantic 

 (unting excursion on our list. 



It must be admitted that my spirits sank somewhat 

 ^low zero as I stood alone with my face turned toward 

 daho, with the determination" to go if 1 was obliged to 

 go it alone." After all, much of the pleasure to be de- 

 lved from an outing depends upon 

 greeable companions. But, as the 

 Id party was broken, and I was 

 ping, I called on the reserve, 

 nd wrote to my friend, fisherman, 

 nng-shot and gentleman, H. W. 

 iush, Esq., assistant auditor and 

 reasurer of the Kansas City, Fort 

 raith & Southern Railroad, at 

 feosha, Missouri. Well, were it 

 ot for the space it would take up I 

 ould insert his reply. Tt began 

 vus: "Dear Old Boy: Whoop 'er 

 p— I will be ihar ! Tell me how 

 ad what I must get ready," and 

 (psed up by say ing something about -— 

 Read-heading,"' which of course I 

 d not fully uuderstand, but learn- 

 : about it later on. I had heard 

 J was in correspondence with 

 at celebrated hunier, guide and 

 dian fighter, George W. Rea, of 

 fa ver Cafion, Idaho, had his terms 

 em for a complete outfit, and 

 1 just what it would cost; and 

 jssession of this bit of inf orma- 

 aused me to feel very percep- 

 the necessity of getting at 

 wo more companions to join 

 -^'u the hunt would, like the 

 13 gun, ''cost more than it 

 CO." My enthusiasm was so 

 III that direction that I offered 

 r two of my friends who 



■ had galore in their eyes $50 toward defraying ex- 

 !! to join me: but business or some other good rea- 

 ya interfered, and they were reluctantly obliged to say 



0 to my entreaties. Wonder if I will have the same 

 ifticulty to encounter this fall, when I expect to go to 

 bwf oundland on a caribou hunt ? Just as I was about 

 ving up efforts to decrease the expenses by increasing 

 »e number of hunters, I received a'letter from a perfect 

 ranger to me, Christian Weber, of Baltimore, Maryland, 

 ho incidentally heard that I was going to the Rockies 



1 hunt, and requested that he be added to the party. I 

 as not long in writing him to show up with recommen- 

 ilions, which he promptly did; and soon the third and 

 St recruit was mustered in, and a capital fellow he 

 •oved to be, besides being an amateur pho- 



igrapher and the possessor of a fine instru- 

 ent. 



1 assumed command of the expedition, 

 id at once issued orders governing the 

 nouut of baggage, and each man was 

 nited to about the following articles, all to 

 ! packed in a ca,rry-all, in order to facili- 

 te transportation on jDack animals: Oae 

 .inting suit, two undershirts, two pairs 

 ■awers, two overshirts, four pairs stockings, 

 le-half dozen handkerchiefs, one pair hunt- 

 g shoes or boots, one pair gum boots, one 

 lir gloves, one cap, one hat, one gum 

 anket, two woolen blankets, two towels, 

 le piece soap, ammunition and loading 

 ols to suit arm used, j)ipes and smoking 

 id chewing tobacco, in case they used any, 

 id any other small articles which would 

 :ither take up much room nor add much 

 "iglit. In addition to the above enumer- 

 ; articles I carried, as I always do, a 

 li lI supply of medicines, hypodermic 

 rmge, bandages and adhesive plaster, etc. 

 hen all packed, each man's luggage, inde- 

 ndent of the arms and each a short light 

 Ink rod and fly-book, weighed less than 

 51bs. 



The Start. 



What follows I take from my journal of outings, 

 ligiously kept for the last fifteen years; and if every one 

 Suld take as much pleasure in looking over some of the 

 I records way back", where big catches of fish and bags 

 game are truthfully recorded, in localities on the 

 fders of civilization, but now under a high state of 

 Itivation, they could pleasantly while away many an 

 lur, and fight some of their battles over as the old war 

 terans are said to do. 



Left Lancaster Sept. 30, at 4:45 A. M., fast line, on time 

 luppose it knew I was in a hurry to get on my way to 

 'i greatest hunt (to be) of my life. Arrived at Phila- 

 iphia on time, and, after practicing on a warm but de- 

 hfcfuily tough steak, I was ready to take the 8:15 train, 

 I, Baltimore and Ohio, for Chicago; 10:40 we crossed the 

 f on transports and landed in "my Maryland." At 1 

 M. passed through Harper's Ferry, where I had not 

 311 since 1861, wnen I was a gallant soldier seeking to 

 rtroy him who would insult the American flag, or some- 

 ng to that effect. Arriving at Washington, D. C. , the 

 it man I saw, because I was looking for him as I 

 isume, was Chris Weber, the little German recruit 

 m Baltimore. We had dinner in the rear car, talked 



]3ropo8ed trip over, and each, I suppose, formed an 

 Qlon of the other. 1:35 P. M., "Martinsburg," shouts 



toainman, and that reminded me of the three months' 

 .liic. I recognized nothing familiar about the place, 

 .away back in memory's halls_, on a back shelf, and 

 dded from age and inactivity, 1 resurrected a pictm-e 

 the destruction of a distillery, and can yet see streams 



of whisky flowing like water as the heads of the barrels 

 were being chopped out with axes. I also see soldiers 

 filling their canteens from depressions in the ground. 

 5:20 P. M.— Passing through the Cumberland Mountains, 

 and now we stop at Deer Park, W. Va. The President's 

 cottage stands on a hill due north and about oOOyds. 

 from the station. It is the first cottage on the north side 

 of the track, and a very modest structure when com- 

 pared to the summer residences of some of the crowned 

 heads of foreign countries. The scenery from Martins- 

 burg to 20 miles west of Deer Park is romantic and mag- 

 nificently picturesque. 7:10 P. M., Grafton.— A good 

 supper and but 15 minutes to "bolt" it in. 



Oct. 1, 5:30 A, Jf.— Just getting daylight. Had a good 

 night's sleep, and just passing Findlay, Ohio. Arrive at 

 Chicago at 10:55, and leave for Kansas City at 12 M. 



Oct. fd, 6 A Retired last night at 8 o'clock, and 

 slept the sleep of the just. Crossed the Mississippi at 

 10:55 last night, and since then have been in the State of 

 Missouri. Arrive at Kansas City at 7 A. M. , and find the 



"SHONGO" AND HIS kUNTINe HORSE "WARRIOR." 

 From an amateur photograph. 



smiling face of Bush in waiting. After a square break- 

 fast at the Blossom House restaurant, we do up the town. 

 11 A. M. finds us on board train en route for Denver, 

 Col. 



Oct 3, 7:45 A, M. — Here we are in Denver, the great 

 city on the plains, an oasis in a desert. The ride from 

 Kansas City to this point was not very interesting. 

 Western Kansas and all of eastern Colorado is an arid 

 plain, and resembles the ocean in general appearance; 

 small cactus, scrub sage and ant hills go far to make up 

 the very uninteresting picture of desolation. The earth 

 was so dry that dust filled the coaches and made ex- 

 istence very unpleasant. 9:45 A. M. finds us en route 

 again westward bound. Sixty -nine miles west of Denver, 



REA AND HIS RANCH. 

 Prom an amateur photograph. 



and the only thing interesting either in the animal or 

 vegetable kingdom this far through this barren land to a 

 traveler is the fact that it is almost impossible to look 

 from the car window and not see prairie dogs sitting up- 

 right and sometimes within 10ft. of the track, looking 

 cute and wise. How they live there and keep sleek and 

 fat, where nothing grows but sage. I leave others who 

 know to tell. Athol, Wyo., 1:85 P. M.— Colorado is now 

 east of us, and owing to a wreck on a branch road we 

 are delayed two hours; likewise at Cheyenne, which is a 

 beautiful town of 8,000 inhabitants. 



Oct. 4, 6 A. 3/.— Just arrived at Green River, Wyoming. 

 The sctnery here is grand beyond description. Weber be- 



comes enthused and as we are again delayed and there is 

 sufficient time, he gets out his camera and takes a view 

 of Castle Rock, which is a magnificent pile, 600ft. above 

 the railroad track, and fashioned by one of nature's best 

 architects. 9:20 A. M.— Off we are again, and our objec- 

 tive point is P.catello, Idaho. 3 P. M.— Just crossed the 

 hne dividing Wyoming and Idaho. For the last hundred 

 miles we have been traveling along the Bear River, and 

 li we saw one goose, brant or duck we saw thousands. 

 This stream meanders along through the Rockies, and is 

 the only one within many miles: and hence the water- 

 fowl all congregate on its limpid waters and guzzle over 

 Its pebbly bottom. 10:30 P. M., we arrive at our destina- 

 tion, Beaver Caiion, Idaho. 



Oct. 5,— All hands up eaiiy, repacking our baggage and 

 getting ready for om- trip up the Shotgun Valley to Rea's 

 Ranch, which ia 45 miles due east, and in the direction 

 of the southern boundary of the National Park. We hire 



a rig for |94, or |8 each, for selves and baggage. 10:30 

 A. M., all aboard, and we are on our way behind two 

 cayuses hooked to a light though strong wagon. Road 

 good, though very dry and dusty. Stop at 2 P. M., and 

 about half way, to feed. Route leads through a basin, 

 which is bounded on two sides by high wooded moun- 

 tains. Meet a band of about 150 Indians on their return 

 from their fall hunt to their reservation at Blackfoot, 

 Idaho, which is south of Beaver Cafion^ Their pack 

 animals were loaded to the gunwales with meat and 

 hides, and they had with them a fine herd of horses of all 

 shades of color. We had quite a parley with their chief 

 Tindo, who could speak some jiigeon English, and in- 

 quired as to whether there were any Indians at Beaver. 

 He was a fine, fat, sleek fellow, apparently about 50. To 

 the question as to whether they got plenty of meat, his 

 his reply was, "Indian he get plenty meat." Just at sun- 

 down we pulled up at our long-looked-f or objective point, 

 Rea 8 Ranch. 



Well, almost any one could form a faint idea as to the 

 extent of our curiosity and pro- 

 found satisfaction at the picture 

 before us, presented by a glimpse at 

 this veteran hunter's ranch. Bear, 

 deer, antelope, elk, badger and 

 mountain sheep pelcs were tacked 

 up wherever you gazed, and on the 

 roofs of the building were securely 

 anchored several pairs of elk ant- 

 lers. During the afternoon we saw 

 hundreds of sage hens, or chickens, 

 as they call them here, and we 

 bagged several by way of getting 

 our hands in. 



Rea's Ranch is located on a bluflF, 

 about 200ft. from the Shotgun, and 

 at an elevation of about 25ft. above 

 the water. Rea named the stream, 

 and says it came to pass thus : Away 

 back in the sixties ne and a partner 

 were trapping on this stream. They 

 had pack animals, and among other 

 things too numerous to mention the 

 "pard" had one of those old-fash- 

 ioned, muzzle-loading smooth-bore 

 guns, as heavy as a fence rait, and 

 Rea says almost as long, "and not 

 worth a white and black skunk 

 skin anyway." They had camped 

 on the west bank of the stream, 

 about a mile and a half below the 

 site of his present ranch. The snow 

 was deep, the horses were over- 

 bm-dened and almost tuckered out; 

 Rea was packing the last horse, when "pard" handed 

 him the old gun to be strapped fast on the now over- 

 loaded horse. Rea says, "Keep your old gun, you are 

 more able to pack it than the cayuse. For a thimbleful 

 of beans I would chuck it into the creek." "Pard" took 

 the old gun's part and reached for his revolver, which 

 was always at his side. Rea promptly knocked him 

 down, and that was the end of it. "Pard" pouted, stood 

 the gun up against a cottonwood tree nearby, and the 

 outfit moved on. They soon settled the difficulty and all 

 went on as smoothly as before, but the old gun kept 

 lonely watch leaning up against the cottonwood. Several 

 years after the occurrence Rea came through the valley 

 again, and remembering the circumstance as well as 

 the location, visited the spot. Sure enough, 

 there stood the old gun against the tree, 

 looking much the worse from the action of 

 the elements and its long vigil. Rea, true 

 to his first intentions, took up the weapon 

 and cast it into the stream. Since that time 

 the stream is known as the "Shotgun," and 

 ia BO shown on the maps. 



Rea's Ranch. 



We return to a description of Rea's 

 Ranch and its surroundings. The stream 

 is not more than 10 or 12ft. wide 200ft. 

 above the buildings. About 100yds. above 

 it receives the waters from a spring which 

 rises one- half mile further south, and where 

 this spring empties into the Shotgun it is 

 60ft. wide and will average 8m. in depth. 

 Below the building Rhea has constructed a 

 dam, the back water covering several acres. 

 The dam is so constructed that trout can go 

 up but few can return. The consequence is 

 that the water above the dam is aJive with 

 the speckled beauties of all ages and sizes, 

 and furnishes not only fine sport but a hand- 

 some revenue from the sale of fish. He 

 seines out of that dam yearly thousands of 

 pounds, which net him 20 cents per pound 

 delivered on the cars at Beaver Caiion. He has 920 

 acres of improved land, most of which is park or meadow, 

 well set with natural grass, well watered and beautifully 

 located. The buildings include of the dwelling, which is 

 built of logs, with planing mill doors and window frames 

 with glass. The roof is formed with poles, averaging 

 from 4 to Bin. in diameter, laid side by side, in the inter- 

 stices ropes of hay are carefully packed in, and covering 

 the whole is about lOin. of earth, which .becomes solidly 

 packed and makes a good roof, shedding water well and 

 besides resisting the sun's rays in summer, as well as the 

 chilling blasts of winter. A good-sized kitchen attached 

 completes the dwelling part of the ranch; and, although 

 not as elegant as a brown or green stone front, with the 

 floors covered with Brussels and the windows draped 

 with lace curtains, Rea's Ranch on the Shotgun, located 

 as it is in that beautiful valley in far off Idaho, furnishes 

 finer scenery, with more solid comfort, rest and recre- 

 ation for the brain-worker than either my pen or camera 

 can depict. 



The valley is about eight miles wide, bounded on two 

 sides by spurs of the Rockies, some of them snow-capped 

 and well wooded, and the air as pure as the ripphng 

 water. JSear the dwelling is another building, known as 

 the "dead house," without windows, but two doors on 

 opposite sides. The contents of this building furnished a 

 medley for a tourist not soon to be forgotten. Here hung 

 against the wall, to the left as we entered, the antlers and 

 skull of a bull elk, which had been killed but two weeks 

 before our arrival. In yonder corner hangs the saddle of 

 an antelope, with a very large piece clipped out for our 



