482 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[June 19, 1897. 
ON THE EDGE OF THE GRAN CHACO. 
tOiSD BY WILLIAM KINGSBUEY TO WILLIAM H. AVtS. 
Chapter V. 
The next three days were vety busy ones fol- us. H; 
had to buy a full outfit in the horse line. After scouring 
the country for a couple of days he finally found a couple 
■Which he said suited him. They cofet him about .$70, in- 
cluding a saddle, lariat and bridle. 
Fate seemed to snatch some of our belongings from us at 
times, only to return them at some future period. When 
we had parted with Chena we never expected to see her 
again, but fate had provided otherwise; and so it turned 
out ^ith Jim's horse Zaino, which disappeared on the night 
of the dance of the little Angelito. The fourth day after 
H.'s arrival a Goucho boy drove up to the front of the 
house and tied his horse to a post. 
''What a miserable looking animal that is," Jim re- 
marked; "I'm going over to have a look at him." The 
horse did appear miserable, indeed; its bones nearly pro- 
truded through the skin, and on its back were a number of 
sores; the poor spine stood up in a knotty ridge, and the tail 
and mane had been cut short. We sat watching Jim, as he 
went first from one side of the horse then to the other, 
and we noticed that he was making a very close examina- 
tion. Suddenly he called out, excitedly: "Come here, 
quick! Look this horse over closely and tell me if you ever 
saw him before?" 
"For heaven's sake, Jim! This poor rack of bones can't 
be — and yet I do believe it is your horse — Zaino." 
"I know it's Zaino! There goes the saddle, and there 
goes the bridle after the saddle! ' and he hurled them both 
as far as he was able. "Come, Zaino! come with me." Jim 
was madder than I had ever seen him, and there was a 
glitter in his eye. He tied Zaino near the shanty and was 
washing the horse's sore back when the boy made his ap- 
pearance. He seemed puzzled for a moment, then, as he 
graduall}'- took in the situation, he walked over to where 
Jim was and spoke to him in Spanish. "What are you 
doing with my horse? I want him riglt away," he said. 
"Where did you get this horse and how long have you 
had him?" asked Jim. 
"He belongs to my father, and he raised him from a 
colt." 
"You lie!" shouted Jim. "Now, pick up your saddle and 
bridle and get out of here as lively as you know liow." As 
Jim emphasized this command by administering three or 
four kicks, the fellow was not long in obeying orders. 
Snatching up the saddle and bridle he started of£ at a 
lively clip across the pampas in the direction of Soledad. 
Don Antonio", who had witnessed all this, walked over 
to ask what it was all about. Jim explained matters to 
him and he said that Jim had done just right. "I'm afraid 
you'll have trouble with tbe boy's father, though," he said. 
"He's a regular robber and a very bad man. I don't like 
him, Everybody's afraid of him." 
"He'd better not come bothering around me much. If 
he does he'll find one man who don't care a rap for him," 
Jim replied. 
The boy had hardly been gone an hour when we saw a 
man mounted on a galloping horse coming across the 
pampas. "I say, Jim, I'll bet that's the old man coming 
after the horse himself," said H., who had been the first to 
observe the approaching horseman. 
The horseman, a large, villainous-looking individual, soon 
dashed up to the shanty. He almost threw his horse on 
its haunches he stopped so suddenly. "Carramba! You 
give me that horse. What you mean by stealing him from 
my son? In broad daylight, too. You give him to me 
directly." 
"Where did you get this horse?" asked Jim, coolly. 
"I bought him three years ago. He's mine, and you bet- 
ter give him to me, quick." 
"I'll give him to you when you bring to me the person 
from whom you bought him and not before." 
"Carrambal you defy me? Be careful, be careful how 
you play with me." As he hissed the last words he 
slipped his hand toward a murderous-looking horse-pistol 
which he carried in his belt. 
"Be careful how you play with rde or I will surely kill 
you," Jim replied grimly, as he whipped out his Smith & 
Wesson and aimed it full at the other's breast. "You can't 
have this horse," he continued. "He is mine, and here is 
the certificate which shows when and from whom I 
bought him." Jim here produced the certificate which 
showed his ownership of Zaino. "As for you, you are 
nothing but a contemptible thief. You stole this horse 
from me, and if I catch you around here again, you villain, 
I'll put some of these bullets clean through you! Now get 
out as quick as you know how." 
Seeing that Jim was deadly in earnest, the half-breed 
did not wait for a second invitation to go, but, without an- 
other word, wheeled his horse, put spurs to him and 
dashed quickly away. He turned once in his saddle to 
shake his fist at Jim, but not until he was safely out of 
range. We never saw him again. 
H. proposed that all hands go next day on a grand fare- 
well hunt, to leave the Don and his family a good supply 
of meat before taking our departure. Daylight had hardly 
appeared when, followed by Chena and Tigre, we were on 
the move. H. was tall and loose-jointed, and why he had 
selected two horses so small that his feet nearly dragged oh 
the ground puzzled Jim and myself greatly. Never will I 
forget that morning ride over the Canada of Soledad. H., 
anxious and eager, was in the lead, and as he went along, 
bouncing up and down on his little pony, it seemed that 
he would surely shake apart. Every joint in his body 
seemed to be working at once, and the flaps of his yellow 
tourist hat dangling loosely about his face, combined with 
his ill-fitting, fluttering clothing, to make him the most 
grotesque and comical sportsman I had ever looked upon, 
Jim and I followed in the rear and nearly fell off our 
horses with laughter at some of his ridiculous horseman- 
ship. He was naturally such a good-natured, whole-souled 
person, however, that he did not mind our laughter in the 
least. In fact, he seemed to be pleased at his ability to en- 
tertain us. 
We had covered perhaps five miles, and were following 
one of the numerous paths made by horses, cattle and other 
animals through the thick, high grass near the San An- 
tonio, when, without warning, a drove of more than a 
dozen large ostriches almost sprang from under H.'s horse 
and were away belter skelter in all directions. Jim's 
Parker spoke, and down, heels over head, went one of the 
largest. Jim had caught him just as he was dodging be- 
hind a large ant-hill. H.put spurs to his horse and started 
wildly straightaway after a couple which kept the path 
we had been following. I fired at one as it swung into a 
path to the left, and had the SEltisfjactioh of sfeeing it drop. 
I wounded another, which Chena easily catight and made 
short work of. 
All were noW galloping like inad through the high grass, 
each in pursuit of an ostrich. The bird I was after stub- 
bornly followed the zigzag twists and turns of one of the 
most crooked paths I had ever seen, and so gave but poor 
chance for a shot. Soon he came to a staight stretch, how- 
ever, and his doom was sealed, for the Winchester keeled 
him over at about 40yds. Concluding that I had my share, 
I stopped on a slight rise of ground, where I could look 
down and see, now and then, the upper portions of Jim's 
and H.'s bodies skimming along above the top of the high 
grass. The grass was so tall that I could see very little of 
the horses. Watching H., I heard the crack of his rifle and 
a loud, ringing whoop, which told of success. Then I saw 
him bound 2 or 3ft. in the air and disappear. This sudden 
disappearance, I learned afterward, was attributable to the 
fact that just as he had dropped his ostrich his horse came 
to a natural ditch and took it on the fly, while H.flew into 
the air, coming down on the horse's haunches, ungrace- 
fully turned a back somersault, and landed on his back on 
the ground. After considerable trouble, with Jim's aid he 
managed to secure his horse and his ostrich, a very well 
satisfied individual indeed. 
We had more game than we knew what to do with. H. 
had killed one, Jim two, and I three, counting the 
wounded one, which Chena caught. Besides these six, 
Tigre had run one down and killed it; so we had seven 
ostriches, and as we wished to take some venison back 
with us, we decided to take only the ostrich skins and best 
parts of the meat. 
After our dinner of ostrich meat, we took a two hours' 
siMa in the shade, and then went for a swim. We were 
not long in getting the horses to the sandy shore, un- 
dressed, and mounted on our barebacked horses, were 
swimming them around in the river. We, horses and all, 
were enjoying our swim hugely when H.let out a yell and 
headed his horse for the shore. We were considerably 
puzzled and not a little alarmed until we saw an ostricb 
running along the edge of the river. As soon as H.'s 
horse reached terra jh'ma he headed him full gallop for 
the flying ostrich, and we were entertained by the unusual 
sight of a perfectly naked white man mounted on a bare- 
backed horse chasing a running ostrich and yelling all the 
while like an Indian. We soon caught the infection and 
joined in the chase, but only for a short distance, when 
the ostrich entered the high grass and we gave up. 
While returning to the estancia, H ., who was in the lead, 
stopped his horse suddenly, raised his rifle slowly and, 
taking a deliberate aim, fired. By the expansive grin of 
satisfaction which overspread his' countenance we knew 
he had phot something. The something proved to be a 
fine, young gama buck. Before reaching the house H. 
stalked another. 
The next day, Saturday, we spent in curing the deer 
and ostrich meat, so that Don Antonio and his family 
-would have enough to eat in the meat line for some time 
to come. 
Sunday was spent under the trees with the Don's family. 
Jim and I had been with these good people now for a 
month, and in that time we had enjoyed ourselves hugely. 
We had almost come to count ourselves as members of the 
family. That they entertained like feelings toward us was 
plainly evident by the half-hearted manner in which the 
songs were sung and the listless manner in which the 
guitar was played that afternoon. "It will be so lonesome 
when you all go away," said the old Don, for the fiftieth 
time that day, when we had gathered with the family for 
our last supper in their company. 
Monday broke fine and clear; not a sign of cloud or mist 
could be seen. The atmosphere was so clear that objects 
ten miles away seemed to be but a mile or two from us. 
As we headed across the pampas in a northerly direction, 
hands, hats and handkerchiefs were waved until we were 
no longer in sight. 
Our complete outfit consisted of our six horses, a pair of 
woolen blankets apiece, a tent, one rubber blanket to 
each man, a small amount of extra clothing, lOlbs. of 
syerba, lOlbs. of sugar, salt, pepper, 501bs. of Italian biscuit, 
about 251bs. of dried venison and ostrich meat, 500 rounds 
of cartridges apiece, 200yds. of manilla rope with which 
to tether our horses (lassos being too good for such work), 
numerous pots, pans and other utensils. 
I rode Spotted Dick, and my pack horse was Santiago. 
Jim's horses were Zaino and Old Chub. Zaino had not 
recovered from his hard usage, still we could see that he 
was daily improving. H. named his horses Blanco and 
Queen Sabe. 
We passed through a country of alternating prairie and 
thick monte that morning. The clean, pure weather and 
bright sunshine soon drove away the feelings of gloom 
that had hung over us all at the start. Game of all kinds 
was so abundant that we scarcely paid any attention to it. 
We had dinner on the edge of a wild monte, and took a 
three hours' siesta in the shade. Just before going into 
camp that evening we jumped a fine large buck gama. 
H. fired three times at not more than 75yds. and scored 
three straight misses. The buck did not attempt to run, 
but stood whistling and snorting until the last shot was 
fired, then turned and leisurely trotted away, completely 
disgusted at the poor marksmanship. 
We went into camp near a heavy monte of algarroba, 
mandua and cactus, and a fine large lake literally alive 
with waterfowl. The mosquitoes were so thick that we 
got but very little sleep. We were compelled to keep the 
fire going all night, for a heavy smoke, but even the smoke 
did little good. The horses suffered considerably, and we 
were thankful when morning finally came. The light 
revealed each of us a sight to look upon; H. seemed to 
have suffered the most. There was scarcely a square inch 
of the exposed parts of his body without a huge swollen 
lump. 
[to be continced.] 
SHEEP AND SNOWSHOES.— I. 
A Winter Hunt on the Summit of the Rockies. 
Wherefore. 
Chicago, 111., May, 1897. — In this story blend Ai-so pom- 
stan, Pah-kuk-kus and an umbrella. These be evil agen- 
cies. Yet, as in all plays, there must be also a good fairy, 
so now appears that beneficent genius, the Forbst and 
Stream luck, for which let no man take credit upon himself. 
It is known of all men that Ai-so-pom-stan is the great 
cow moose which stands upon the furthest peak of the 
high mountains. Ai-so-pom-stan is the maker of the 
wind. When she moves her ears slowly, the wind is 
light. When she fans very hard with her ears, there is 
hiah wind and storm. This the Blackfeet will tell you. 
Pah-kuk-kus is the evil spirit of mischief who lives in 
the North, where the Crees hunt. Pah-kuk-kus is the 
ghastly joke-maker of the air. He comes to the lonely 
hunter, who is camped in the mountains, appearing some- 
times as a whirling cloud of smoke or fire or dust. He 
tears away lodges, and destroys caches, and terrifies the 
hunter by his presence. He is a bearer of a great gun, 
which he shoots off as he approaches, or sometimes, as he 
disappears in a trail of smoky cloud. He causes things to 
disappear, an(^ breeds trouble for the hunter and his 
friends. Malice is his thought, and he has no pleasure 
except to disturb and trouble those whom he pursues. 
He comes usually in the storm, and perhaps grows angry, 
and tears trees or breaks lodge poles. You may hear him 
howling as the storm goes by. When you hear the voice 
of Pah-kuk-kus, it is time to draw the blanket close about 
you and to keep good watch, for evil is to come. 
An umbrella also is an evil influence. "Therefore I 
trembled when I saw that Mr. McChesney, whom I joined 
at St. Paul on the way out to this country of the Blackfeet, 
had in his luggage an umbrella. Once a fiiend started 
with me to go fishing and he carried an umbrella much 
to my fear. Him I persuaded to check his umbrella, and 
leave it at the depot. Yet on that trip, such was the 
potency of this e\dl influence even in the summer time, 
this very man fell out of the boat and was near to drowing, 
and we took no fish at all. Had he carried his umbrella 
along all the way, methinks he had been still wetter and 
mayhap had found a watery grave. In the winter time 
and in the Rocky Mountains, an umbrella is still more 
bodeful, though our wise men have not told us of this, per- 
haps because they have rarely seen Pah-kuk-kus in ths 
form. 
As to the Forest and Stream luck, of that we shall hear 
duly. 
Already we have spoken of the place where these things 
had their happening, out in the cup of the big plains, and ' 
on top of the ultimate range of the great Eockies, where 
the waters run three ways, into the Pacific, into the 
Gulf of Mexico and into the Hudson Bay; for in the 
Blackfoot country the headwaters of the branches 
of the Columbia, the Missouri and the Saskatchewan 
all come close up together in some great mountains 
of high rocks, where the ice never melts at all, and 
where the snow lies late in summer and In the win- 
ter is very deep. It is in these mountains that Ai-so- 
pom-stan lives, and I doubt not many other spirits. For, 
though you go to any other portion of the Eockies, from the 
Cordilleras to the Selkirks's, you shall not feel your skin . 
creep as it does here. Over this region there spreads some 
wide, mysterious influence, such as you feel nowhere else. 
This spirit seems to be the guardian of the Grail of Amer- • 
ica, some jewel whose nature we do not yet know, but i 
which is hid deep in these hills. This may be in the St. 
Mary's, or in the Two Medicine, or among the big moun- 
tains between them or just beyond them toward where the 
waters fall to the western ocean; but it is there, and feel- 
ing this as you apjjroach these mountains at the cafion of 
America, your skin crawls. It crawls the more if it be in 
winter, when the mountains are garmented in white. The 
Indians pray to the tall Chief Mountain. "Here at thy 
feet the fallen years lie buried," they pray to this moun- 
tain, knowing somewhat of its august spirit. And Chief 
Mountain and the high St. Mary's ofler no invitation to 
you, but repel. 
For my part, I did not need to go into the St. Mary's at ' 
all, for I already knew how they appeared. I had seen 
them in a dream long ago. The wise men do not know 
where we go when we are asleep, and certainlj- 1 had seen 
these mountains, though I was never there in body before. 
So in body I went with the others to the Two Medicine, 
and now, whether I sleep or wake, I still visit these moun- 
tains in dreams, seeing them in all their snowy splendor, 
their mysterious, repelling, yet fascinating calm, white, 
and cold, and reserved and beautiful. If one could i 
only write of this so that all others could see it so! But to 
really see this you must go to the home of Ai-so-pom-stan ' 
in the winter, and to do this you need something of the 
Forest and Stream luck. 
For all this country belongs not to the white men, but to 
the red men. It is on Uncle Sam's ground, where only i 
fortunate ones may hunt. It is in Montana, but not of it. 
Nowhere in the Eockies may you legally kill the grand 
bighorn sheep when you have to climb up to him on 
snowshoes. Montana say this is illegal; but Uncle Sam, 
giving to Forest and Stream all good things as a matter of 
course, said through the Indian Agent, Major Steell, that 
we might climb to the summit if we liked, and might kill 
a few head of bighorn rams (not any ewes) if we were 
able to do so. So far as I know, there has been no other 
party of white men from the States who have gone into 
the Eockies in the winter and made a successful camp and 
a successful hunt for mountain sheep and goats. If they / 
have done this, they must have done it on some Indian 
reservation, and I know of no other where the sheep and 
goats could be thus obtained at that season. Therefore, 
when Schultz and Jackson and Joe Kipp, of the Blackfoot 
agency, sent on for McChesney and myself, they offered us 
one of the rarest treats which could perhaps be attained 
by an American sportsman, and a trip in which there 
would seem to be some news such as not every journal of 
sports has ever chronicled. But then, this is Forest and 
Stream, to which all things come. Thus did the Forest 
and Stream luck take us to the heart of things, and ulti- 
mately baflie even Ai-so-pom stan and the evil Pah-kuk- 
kus. So I shall say now, lest there be those who see no 
prophecy in these opening words, that we did really go 
into the Eocky Mountains in the dead of winter. We 
walked over their very tops on the snow and ice. We 
