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FOREST AND STREAM. 
[May:2, 1896. 
TWO NIGHTS IN A SIERRA NEVADA 
SHEEP CAMP. 
Since the time of its occurrence it has often crossed my 
mind to write this experience up, and at last I have got 
the cacoethes scribmdi so badly that I will indulge my 
pen. 
My friend B, and myself had arranged our usual sum- 
mer outing in the mountains, and all was ready for the 
start, when suddenly there was a relocking of the busi- 
ness ball and chain around B.'s leg, which necessitated 
his remaining at home another week. 
This was a sore disappointment to both, but as long as 
I was ready to start I determined to go and put in the 
time until his arrival at a little mountain resort near our 
summer cabin, I knew that I could get some good deer 
hunting there, and would be ready to settle down to the 
serious business of trout fishing by the time of B.'s arri- 
val. And, surely enough, when I got there I found the 
son of the proprietress spoiling for a hunt. 
I had taken along my faithful little bodyguard, Skip, a 
black and tan terrier, both wise and courageous. He 
would run and bay a deer, worry a bear, and whip twice 
his own weight in wildcats, or tame ones either. A more 
faithful companion man never had, nor a more interest- 
ing one. Alert and eager, he was ready for anything. 
He was always expecting an adventure, and stood ready 
to do his part. 
Well, the young man above spoken of had a hound 
called Turk, and the two dogs made a good team. In 
fact, these two were hard to beat on a deer hunt, as has 
been described before in these columns. 
For three days following my arrival Will and I went 
out and hunted faithfully, but without success. We 
could start nothing but does, and these we would not 
shoot. On the evening of the third day, on our return, 
we found a sheep herder at the house who had come down 
for a fresh supply of salt for his sheep and flour for him- 
Belf . He had a saddle horse and two pack animals, and 
was just starting out when we arrived. On hearing of 
our ill luck, he invited us to come up to his camp next 
day, saying that deer and bears were both plentiful on 
the range. We agreed to go, but did not Bet the day, as 
Turk's feet had got sore with his three days' fruitless 
hunting and we would have to await their healing. 
He told Will where the camp then was, and Will said he 
knew where to find it, and that we would start in two or 
three days. This was on Wednesday, and B. was coming 
on the Sunday stage. I wanted to get my hunt over be- 
fore his arrival, and kept Will washing and dressing 
Turk's feet all next day to get them in condition. On 
the following morning Turk showed up as good as new 
and we concluded to Btart. It was a very hot morning in 
the canon, and we had an eight mile climb before us over 
very brushy mountains, and we knew we had our work 
cut out if we wanted to eat a noon dinner in the camp. 
I was pretty stiff with the unaccustomed exercise of the 
{irevious days, but the one day's rest had partially re- 
ieved me, and I thought I could make ib all right. I had 
not reckoned with the trail though. It was the one fol- 
lowed by the pack animals, and was simply a short cut 
across two spurs, and then a steady climb up a mountain 
covered with brush that was almost impenetrable. To 
make matters worse, Will lost the trail — what there was 
of it — and we traveled about two miles out of our way. 
This led us into a thicket of thornbuBh that almost 
brought us to a standstill. It is leg-wearying work to 
make one's way through this growth. The winter snows 
beat it down flat, and when summer comes it rises about 
18in. high, with its tops all pointed down hill. The only 
way to get through it is to lift one foot straight up as 
high as possible, then stride out and do likewise with the 
other one — actually walking over instead of through the 
thorny tangle. One hour of this kind of work will pretty 
well fag out anyone who is not in daily practice of moun- 
taineering. The unaccustomed labor became very dis- 
tressing to me, and I wished myself back. My legs ached 
unbearably, my breathing became labored and painful, 
my heart throbbed, and my head seemed ready to burst, 
while the beating of the arteries in my ears shut out all 
external sounds. Nothing but pride kept me going. Had 
it not been for that, I would have called the expedition 
off. All things have an end, and this bit of bad country 
had also. After resting and picking the thorns out of 
our persons we resumed our upward way, and at last 
topped the mountain. Here we found a wide timbered 
plateau, marked by numerous shallow ravines, which 
lower down became canons. This plateau was covered 
with bunch grass, and divers kinds of succulent grasses 
and plants, upon which the sheep fattened. We turned 
down ones of these ravines, expecting to find the camp, 
but it proved that Will was wrong in his notion of where 
it lay, and we had another weary tramp of a mile down 
and up for nothing. At last we came to traces of sheep, 
then to sheep themselves, and after exploring two more 
ravines, tired and hungry, we found the camp at 4 P. M. 
The two herders were away after the sheep, and there 
was nothing to be found to appease our hunger excepting 
some cold boiled potatoes. We searched the camp ex- 
haustively, but could find nothing else that was quickly 
available. There was plenty of flour and raw potatoes, 
but no bread or bacon. So we started a little fire and 
fried our potatoes, or at least warmed them, and stayed 
our stomachB for a time. We then started out to find a 
deer before the shades of evening should fall, as we con- 
cluded it was going to be a case of deer or no dinner. We 
took opposite sides of a ravine running north toward the 
American River, and tramped along for about two miles 
without the dogs giving notice of anything being in the 
mountains but themselves. We were upon the point of 
giving it up and returning empty handed when Turk gave 
tongue among the willows in the bottom of the ravine, 
which had now become a shallow canon. Will ran down 
the side of the canon to head the dog off, and I ran up 
higher to reach a spur which jutted out. Just as I 
reached it a fine buck broke cover and ran diagonally up 
the opposite side of the canon, giving a distant but open 
shot. I estimated the distance and shot for the top of the 
head, stopping him at the crack of the rifle with a bullet 
through the lungs, which cut some of the large blood- 
vessels. He turned and went staggering down the hill 
right into the mouths of the two dogs, who pulled him 
down. I was truly sorry for the noble fellow when I saw 
him come down, and for a moment wished I had missed 
him; but my empty stomach rejoiced within me. Will 
came at my call, and we gralloched and hung the buck 
up, taking only his liver with us, as we were both too 
tired and hungry to do anything more. On our return to 
camp we found it surrounded by over 3,000 sheep. The 
herders had returned and had killed a fat wether; had 
baked a pan of camp biscuit, boiled some potatoes, had 
the coffee pot boiling, and were ready to fry some very 
fresh mutton chops. To these were added our liver, and 
we soon sat down to a royal feast. Being so very hungry, 
I ate heartily and drank a cup of strong black coffee — a 
beverage that always disagrees with me. 
The herders stated that on the previous night a bear 
had killed one of the sheep. He had not eaten all the 
carcass, and would be sure to return to it that night. 
They therefore took a strong bear trap, and we all went 
to the place where the remains of the sheep lay and care- 
fully set it. It was at a point about 200yds. from camp. 
It was now pitch dark under the pines, and we sat around 
the camp-fire Bmoking and yarning for a while before 
retiring. 
The two herders were in marked contrast with each 
other. One was a German, quick and impetuous in 
speech and action; the other was an Englishman from 
the hills of Yorkshire, slow and quiet. The one was like 
a fox terrier, the other like an old collie. They were 
both encouraging in their reports of game. Said the 
German, "Dis morning, as I vas going down de rawine 
mit de sheep, two pig pucks shumps a clump of villows 
ouedt, and runs ofer de moundain." Said the Yorkshire- 
man, "Day-af ore-yesterday Oi seed twa big boocks. 
They got oopfra their beds as Oi coomed doon the hill 
an' didna rin awa, but joost toorned aboot an' lyuked at 
me, an' raxed* oot their hin'legs like stirks in a byre." 
Well wearied with the fatigues of the day I soon retired 
to our blankets, which were spread in the open under the 
pines. No shelter is ever erected by herders, as they are 
constantly changing camp, as the sheep soon eat all the 
herbage in one locality and have to be moved further on 
upon the range at frequent intervals. In fact, shelter is 
seldom needed, as during the summer months, while the 
sheep are upon these mountain ranges, no rain falls ex- 
cepting a very rare thunderstorm of short duration. 
Our blankets were spread side by side, and Will and the 
herders said they would soon retire so as not to disturb 
me after I had gone to sleep. I had no sooner got com- 
posed, however, than I dropped into sound slumber. 
Their retiring awoke me and I found it impossible to sleep 
again. The strong coffee got in its usual work on my 
nerves, and I lay and stared the stars out of countenance. 
I counted the stars, repeated the multiplication table, 
counted the swaying branches of the pines, the number 
of my respirations and the snores of the Yorkshireman, 
all to no effect. "The everlasting silence of the hills" 
was all around and took hold upon me. Then I got to 
thinking of the bear trap, and waited with listening ear 
for the savage growl of pain that would accompany the 
shutting of its cruel jaws on bruin's foot. The occasional 
cough of a sheep, and the tinkle of a bell on the neck of 
one of the bell-wethers, were the only sounds that broke 
the Btillness of the brooding hills. 
Suddenly my little dog, who lay on the blankets by my 
side, raised his head and growled, and then rushed yelp- 
ing into the darkness. There was a sudden thunder of 
the feet of 3,000 sheep rushing in wild terror from an un- 
seen foe. Then bedlam broke loose! The hound and the 
three collies of the camp joined Skip in his charge into 
the darkness. There was a great crashing of dead under- 
brush, a rapid flight, the coughing and excited stamp of 
the frightened sheep, and jangling of the hundred bells 
borne by the leaders of the flock, all accentuated by the 
yelps of the excited dogs, and dominated by the deep- 
chested baying of the hound. Will and I sat up in bed, 
and the herders muttered "bears" and went to sleep again. 
Now this was getting a little exciting, and I thought it 
might be as well to get my rifle and lay it where it would 
be handy. Not that I was at all nervous about the prox- 
imity of the bears! Oh no, only just in case of accident, 
you know. Suppose a bear should come snuffing around 
looking for the carcass of mutton that had been killed by 
the herders the previous evening, and which now hung 
cooling upon the branch of a pine near our beds, why, 
how handy it would be to have the rifle near by to take 
a shot at him! 
It was a curious coincidence that the same thought 
seemed to strike Will just at that instant too, for we 
both broke for our rifles, which stood against a neighbor- 
ing tree. 
The dogs soon returned, and the camp sank into quiet 
again. But if I was wakeful before, I was worse now. 
But I had a companion in wakefulness. The novelty of 
the situation had caught Will, and every few moments I 
could detect him quietly cocking his ear in a listening 
attitude. 
From this time on to 3 A. M. this same proceeding 
was enacted about every half hour. Skip would give the 
warning, the sheep would shake the earth with the rush 
of 12,000 feet, the dogs would all join in an excited bay- 
ing, sleepy oaths would emanate from under the herders' 
blankets, and finally quiet would reign once more. 
At last the effects of the coffee passed away, and the 
novelty of the situation having worn off, I dropped asleep. 
About 3 A. M., however, everyone was brought out of 
their blankets. Even the case-hardened herders came 
suddenly upon their feet. 
A stealthy stalk and determined rush had been made 
by the bears upon the sheep, while one of their number 
had boldly invaded the camp after the fresh mutton 
hanging upon the tree. It was too dark to see, but I 
could hear him snuffling and scrambling around the tree 
upon which it hung. The dogs had all rushed after those 
attacking the sheep excepting one of the collies, which 
had a litter of puppies at the back of a log upon which 
the camp supplies were piled. She made a vicious and 
determined assault upon bruin, and I feared to shoot lest 
I should kill her. I crouched upon the ground hoping to 
catch a glimpse of him against the sky line, and finally 
succeeded, as he climbed the log. A fierce growl followed 
my shot, and the other dogs rushed to the spot and joined 
in the chase. Down the cation they all ran, until their 
voices were lost in its depths. 
During the melee we had heard a tremendous crashing 
of dead branches, accompanied by angry growls, coming 
from the neighborhood of where the trap had been set. 
^* Stretched or reached. 
Matters had become decidedly exciting, and we deter- 
mined to dress and investigate, as dawn was now rapidly 
approaching. We therefore dressed and built a fire, and 
by that time the shepherd dogs had returned. 
The crashing of branches in the locality of the trap 
had ceased for some moments, but was suddenly renewed. 
The bitch made a charge toward the sounds, followed by 
the other two collies, and the devil was to pay again. We 
could hear a rush and a crashing of branches, and the 
clank of the heavy trap chain, equal to the noise of a 
chained elephant crashing through its native jungle. 
One of the dogs soon received a cuff that sent it yelling 
back- to camp, closely followed by the others. 
We had all grabbed our guns and were making for the 
bear when this happened, and afterward we beard no 
sound. It seemed as if the earth might have opened and 
swallowed up all but ourselves, so suddenly did quiet 
reign. 
We went to where the trap had been set, but it was 
gone. It was still too dark to see the trail, so we returned 
to await daylight. Meanwhile Turk and Skip were Btill 
absent. We called and whistled for them in vain. We 
wanted them badly to take the trail of the trapped bear. 
Finally, as daylight came on and they did not return, 
one of the herders started in upon the breakfast, the other 
took the sheep to their range, and Will and I started upon 
the trail of the bear. 
It proved plain to follow and soon ended. He had evi- 
dently fought the trap for some time in a small patch of 
thorn brush. When the dogs had attacked him he made 
off and had caught the dog between two stout saplings, 
and after some frantic fighting had pulled clear, leaving 
two toes in the trap as the sole mementos of his capture. 
We returned to camp much chagrined, as we had been 
sure that we were going to capture him. The herders 
were loud in their anathemas upon the dogs for frighten- 
ing him, as they wanted revenge for the many head of 
sheep that had been destroyed. They said they had lost 
sixty-nine head thus far that season by bears. They 
thought that if the bear had been let alone he would not 
have pulled clear, and that he might have been quietly 
traced to his lair. I did not think so, as I considered that 
they made a mistake in attaching their clog to the chain. 
They made it too long and drove it through the ring on 
the trap chain clear up to its middle, it therefore caught 
too readily against growing saplings that stood a consid- 
erable distance apart, and could not fail to become en- 
tirely fast, and give the bear a chance to pull against an 
unyielding substance. 
While awaiting breakfast we examined the vicinity of 
the camp and found the tracks of seven different bears 
that had visited us in the night. Had it not been for the 
dogs they would undoubtedly have rooted us out of our 
blankets. One of them left an immense footprint, 11 in. 
wide. Strange to say they got none of the sheep, spite of 
their determined efforts. 
After breakfast one of the herders and myself took a 
pack horse and went after the deer I had killed the previ- 
ous evening, and Will took the trail of the bear and the 
dogs down the canon, for still the dogs were absent. 
It was the little German that went with me, and his 
tongue ran with the even flow of an electric dynamo. I 
kept trying to check him, hoping to see a deer in the early 
morning, but it was useless. The most of herders become 
taciturn after they have followed the vocation for a time, 
but it seemed as though this one's years of bottled- up 
loquacity had just been uncorked and was boiling over. 
At last 1 quit him and climbed the ridge after giving him 
full directions as to where to go, saying that I would be 
there as soon as he. 
No sooner had I reached the crest of the ridge than I saw 
a fine three-prong buck standing some 100yds. further on, 
intently watching the progress of the herder and his 
horse. I dropped upon one knee, and taking steady aim 
fired at him. He took one convulsive leap in the direc- 
tion he was looking and fell in a heap, in a clump of 
chemisal. 
The herder saw me and came to the spot, all excite- 
ment. 
"Py 8himiny! dat's goot luck," he panted. "Shust a 
leedle vhile afder you leafs, dot vellow shumps up in 
vront of me und runs dehill up, und I vas looking righd at 
him ven you shoots." 
"Py cracious! I vas shust saying to mines'lf, 'vot a 
fool dot mon vas, to go avay from de blace vere de teers 
vas,' ven, pangs! I hears de guns, und down corned de 
teer." 
While he was running on with this, and much more in 
the same strain, he gralloched the buck, which was a 
very fat one, and we threw it over the saddle and went 
down to the bottom of the ravine again. There we hung 
the carcass until we should return. 
I was now well satisfied with the results of my hunt, 
and did not care whether I got another shot or not. It is 
just at such moments that luck crowds in upon one. 
When one has got a basket filled with trout, one is sure 
to reach a part of the stream where the big ones are rising 
the fastest, and it seems a sin to stop fishing, and surely 
is a sin to keep on. 
Ah, well! if we are hogs upon some rare occasions 
there are many others upon which we can't be even if we 
wanted to, so I guess things break about even in the long 
run. 
Some nights we hold "fours," "fulls" and "straights" all 
the way through, and on others we can't get anything 
higher than a "busted flush." 
This was one of the days when luck ran my way. We 
had not gone more than 500yds. when a noble buck, with 
a splendid pair of antlers, sprang out of a patch of brush 
and ran about twenty steps up the side of the canon. 
There he stopped, right out in the open, and turned to 
look at us. He was only about 60yds. away, and I dropped 
him in his tracks with a bullet through the brain. He 
was one of the largest black-tailed deer I ever killed, and 
we now had too much of a load for the pack horse. 
We hung him up to cool, for a second trip, and went on. 
Ab we neared the locality where the deer of the previous 
evening had been killed, I hastened ahead to locate the 
spot. As I neared it I caught sight of a moving body on 
the hillside, and turned and held up my hand in warn- 
ing to the herder. He saw me and stopped, and a moment 
afterward a half-grown lynx came into full view. I 
rolled him over with a shot through the back, and as 1 
did so a second one leaped out in the same spot 
and watched the dying struggles of her young, with hair 
on end, blazing eyes and bared fangs. I never saw 
a finer picture of mad fury in my life, She was 
