rcf. 18, 1893.] FOREST AND STREAM. tS7 



A HUNT IN THE ROCKIES. 



IN THREE PARTS— PART .II. 



"IHE day was all that could be 

 —•desired, warm, clear and pleas- 

 ant. We followed the Shot- 

 gun down to where it empties 

 into a branch of the Snake 

 River, three and a half miles 

 below the ranch, and then 

 went down the Snake about 

 two miles, crossed over, and 

 came up the right bank on top 

 of the bluff to the forks, 

 thence home. Ducks, geese 

 and swan fluttered up at 

 every bend in the stream, but 

 as we were only on a pleasure 

 trip we only 

 carried our side 

 arms. We got 

 back to the 

 ranch about 4 

 M., delighted with our trip and the per- 

 rmance of our horses, and so sore from 

 I first ride that we were much more 

 mfortable standing than sitting. Weber, 

 r German recruit, said he was not sore, 

 :t the saddle was. Our guide and the 

 ys, "Kid" and Frank, had in the mean- 

 uile arranged the pack saddles all in a 

 w and placed to each one what belonged 

 it, which includes the saddle padding, 

 ! ropes, double J ront and rear girths for 

 ddle and girth for pack, also lariat or 

 ket rope for horse. In another row op- 

 iite the saddles and their regalia were 

 'anged the various articles of household 

 i kitchen furniture to be packed on each 

 idle. These sundries consisted, in ad- 

 iion to our three carry- alls, of two wall 

 its, two large leather paniers, in which 

 bedding was to be packed in order to 

 ap it dry in case of rain, one Dutch oven, 

 8 large iron pot for boiling and making 

 toss" game stews, two frying pans with 

 •ndles, one shovel, one mattock, one 

 luble-bitted ^xe, one pole axe, one bag 

 !th potatoes and onions, two bags flour, 

 .e bag with mess pork, one with salt, one 

 ith roasted coffee and tea, one coffee mill, 

 le sack containing horse shoes, nails of 

 [kinds, tools, etc., including copper and 

 mealed wire of different sizes, also several 

 swhouse traps for small fur-bearing 

 me, a box containing canned grapes, peaches, cherries, 

 Hies, condensed milk, etc. ; a mess box also containing 

 ffee-pot, knives, forks, spoons, tin plates and cups, 

 )yal baking powder and pepper; in addition, many 

 ber small necessities too many to enumerate. As the 

 bole outfit was furnished by our experienced guide, 

 ithing was wanting to make our 

 rnforts as complete as possible, 

 [ter moving around, observing 

 e preparations which had been 

 ade for the start in the morning, 

 J were informed that there would 

 : a circus in the neighborhood of 

 p corral before long, and if we 

 are interested we would be dead- 

 ■aded, and would be allowed 

 oice seats. The "Kid" and Frank 

 3re about to lasso, throw and shoe 

 rebellious cayuse whose feet were 

 ader, and fears were entertained 

 at he might give out on the hunt 

 (thout shoes. We gladly accepted 

 6 kind invitation, and were much 

 auaed and highly entertained at 

 imessing the performance, which 

 IS entirely new to us. Kid was 

 I't long in casting a noose over the 

 imars head, and although he ob- 

 ptcd to the f uUest extent of his 

 |Llity, it was not long until Frank 

 d a slip knot around one of his 

 kles, and in shorter time than it 

 lies to write it he was down and 

 tdy for the operation of shoeing, 

 ^en came supper, and after that a 

 endly smoke and a general trad- 

 l of some very large hunting and 

 hing stories, the truth of which I 

 aid not vouch for, except those I 

 un myself. We also repacked 

 r carry- alls, and very solemnly 

 Massed the forest fires which 

 :re raging all over the country on 

 th sides of the valley. We all 

 -Tied in at an early hour in order 

 be up in good time, that we 

 ght get as early a start as pos- 

 le. 



Uohday morning,^ Oct 7. — There 

 : laggards this morning — aU 

 :: at break of day. A rnyal 

 r and coffee that, as "Ness- 

 iLiid once to me as he ex- 

 ! it an invitation to join him at Tarpon Springs, 

 i, "takes you by the throat." All hands to the 

 Utid in two hours we were ready to photograph 

 -t, Oar outfit consisted of eight pack animals, 

 riding and four extras in case of accident, 

 len in all. We made a short ride across the valley 

 "imber line, and encamped about 4 P. M. in the 

 ds, which our guide informed us extend from the 

 i in the Yellowstone Park, following the general 

 foi mountains, at the foothills of which we were, 

 too miles. The weather has been lovely since our 

 I in Idaho, although our guide informs us that no 

 _a8 fallen during the whole summer. The drought 

 be presence of forest fijes on all sides of us lead us 

 T that tbe smoke and fire have already driven or 

 ^ive the game from their usual haunts, and make 

 ^restless and nervous even if they can be located, 

 scamped in a cabin or shack and the time required 

 up tents was spared us, supper was soon prepared 



and disposed of, and all hands, except the packers (who 

 do no hunting) took a whirl up the mountain side afoot, 

 anxious to find out whether the game signs were fresh 

 or not. 



In this particular locality there are but two kinds of 

 timber growth, pine and quaking aspen. Some of the 

 latter are as much as 20in. in diameter, while the pine 

 seldom grows to be more than 1ft. The altitude at this 

 point is about 6,400ft. above sea level. The water from 

 a small spring seeps out from under an immense lava 

 bed, some 150yds. below the shack, and furnishes water 

 for our party, though the shovel had to be used vigor- 

 ously in order to get a suflicient supply for our thirsty 

 animals. Along the course of the moist ground several 

 old game water holes are plainly marked with the hoof 

 and claw prints of the elk, deer, antelope, bear and 

 wolverine, some dried up and hard, others where there 

 was still some moisture quite fresh and looking as if they 



READY FOR THE START. 



From an amateur photograph. 



an early hour and crossed a spur of the range through a 

 low divide, riding about five hours. Had several light 

 showers of rain. Game signs no fresher than day before. 

 During last night it began snowing, and at sun-up this 

 morning it was still falling. This gladdened our hearts, 

 for two reasons, and very good ones; snow is the best 

 thing out in which to track game, and puts out fire 

 better than rain. 



Camp Bea, on Em's branch of Snake River Valley, 

 Idaho, Oct. 10. — We broke camp and headed for this 

 point, which is at the foot of the range ju3t crossed, and 

 made camp by 2 P. M. Snow about 6lu. deep. Leaving 

 the packers to put up the tents, we divided up — Rea and 

 Bush going south and Weber and I going north. Rea 

 and Bush came up to a bull moose, and after following 

 him for about six miles were obliged to return without 

 getting an opportunity to administer a hypodermic of 

 lead. No other signs of game seen, as most of the ground 

 had but recently been burned over. The 

 . writer got into camp .I'ust before sundown, 

 and out of the little stream just in front of 

 our tents yanked a fine mess of trout for 

 all hands in lees than half an hour, with a 

 brown-hackle. Supppr over, we filled pipes 

 and held a pow-wow, determining to push 

 on in the morning in search of some country 

 where the fire had not disturbed the habi- 

 tudes of the "monarcbs of the glen." 



Camp Kepler, on Split Creek, Reas Park, 

 Oct. 11. — We pitched our camp in this mag- 

 nificent grove of tall pines near the above- 

 named little stream, which is not more than 

 4ft. wide, and from 12 to 15in. deep, and 

 strange to say, the streatn quietly disap-- 

 pears in a fissure in the earth not more than 

 a mile from camp. The distance traveled 

 yesterday was about eighteen mUes. Rea's 

 Park is a large area of meadow land, sur- 

 rounded by high mountain peaks, mostly 

 treeless with well- wooded foothills and 

 flats, and contains many thousands of 

 acres, well set with buffalo .grass, and 

 through it wind the glittering waters of 

 the tortuous Snake River. Deep, dark 

 canons open out upon the entire plain, and 

 through nearly all of them ripple beautiful 

 streams of clear, pure, cold mountain water, 

 which have their origin either from the 

 snow-capped peaks or springs. These 

 sparkling rivulets meander through the 

 meadow lands, their banks fringed with 

 water willows and their depths inhabited 

 by speckled beauties, finally emptying into 

 the Snake, that prince of rivers and the 

 angler's paradise. 

 ^The march through this splendid country was simply- 

 delightful. The weather was all that could be desired. 



had been made but a day or two before our arrival. 



None but those who have experienced the excitement 

 of the chase can form any idea of the sensations experi- 1 The~sun shone brightly, and the air was just cold enough 

 enced by seeing fresh signs of new game, and in a brand \ to be bracing and exhilarating. The litile streams were 

 new country. But the fire cast a gloom over the vener- full of mallard, black and teal duck, and by the time we 

 able weather-beaten face of our guide, and had a | arrived in camp we had fowl enough for days. The 



honk of the wild goose and the 

 peculiar piping sound of the beauti- 

 ful swan could be heard in all direc- 

 tions and at all times during the 

 day. The arms of civilization had 

 not yet extended to this region, 

 though the said arms are getting 

 very long in America; but fre- 

 quently we came upon tepee poles 

 and Indian sweat boxes, showing 

 where some poor red devilhad been 

 first warmed up to the boiling 

 point with red-hot stones, and then 

 treated to a cold plunge bath in the 

 chilling waters of the beautiful 

 streams always close up. Poor fel- 

 lows I They had no business to be 

 sick, and they would not then have 

 been subjected to so heroic treat- 

 ment, and in the majority of in- 

 stances violent death. But it is the 

 same old story— all manner of man- 

 kind must be doctored in strict ac- 

 cordance with some chosen plan. 



Here and there also we noticed 

 where hunters, trappers, or pros- 

 pectors had campfd at sometime, 

 from the fact that the marks of the 

 axe or the picket pins to which the 

 horses were tied could be seen. It 

 is sad to notice throughout this 

 whole territory the marks of that 

 almost extinct ppecies of American 

 game, the buffalo. His bleaching 

 bones, horns and old wallow holes 

 were ever j)resent, reminding us of 

 the useless and wanton destruction 

 of that noble game animal — gone 

 never to return to his accustomed 

 haunts. 



As before stated, the game signs 

 all indicated that they had traveled 

 southeast, being driven in that 

 direction by the forest fires. The 

 snow, which but three days ago 

 was several inches deep in the val- 

 ley, has all disaiJpeared, except on 

 the mountain tops, which are still coveied and refit ct the 

 rays of the sun, producing in tbe rarifif d atmosphere a 

 magnificently weird picture never to be forgotten. The 

 air during the afternoon has been so warm and balmy 

 that the buffalo flies seem to have arisen from among 

 the smouldering remains of their majestic namesakes, 

 and to be trying to form a dress parade. Tliey rnanifest 

 an unusual amount of industry when on the bite, and 

 insist upon creeping into our ears and nostrils, or investi- 

 gating our eyes. 



Oct. i^.— This was a cold, frosty rooming. The sun 

 came up clear and the day is warm. To-day is Sunday; 

 we rest, write and darn our clothes. Rea savs he is not 

 tired and will go in search of fresh meat. Even this has 

 been a grand, eventful day for us in this far-from-home 

 wilderness. Rea returned to canrp empty-handed about 

 the middle of the afternoon. We cleaned our guns, 

 slept, traded hunting and fishing stories, and the packers 

 repaired the saddle pads and other paraphernalia pertain 



OAMP KIPLER. 



From an amateur photogratih. 



tendency to dampen our ardor more than once, especially 

 when we could satisfy ourselves that the fre.sh tracks 

 were made when fleeing from the fiery element. 



Tuesday morning, Oct. S. — We all returned to camp 

 last evenmg about dusk and had quite a tramp. Plenty 

 of recent signs of elk, but not a hair in sight: grouse 

 and sage hens until you could not rest; but now we were 

 after bigger game, and having had satisfaction shooting 

 small game, we paid no attention to them. Everybody 

 well and in as good spirits as could be expected under 

 the circumstances; and by the way, when I speak of 

 spirits I don't mean spirits of wine, inasmuch as we took 

 only one quart of whisky with us, which was sealed, and 

 said seal was not to be broken except in ca^e of sickness 

 or some other imnortant occasion of equal emergency. 

 We concluded to insert the latter clause for fear none of 

 the party would get sick, and we might want to celebrate 

 at tbe close of the hunt. 



Wedfiiesday, Oct. 9. — Mounted yesterday morning at 



