HUNTING ELK. 
195 
the way to Grand lake. As they were out 
of provisions they took as direct a line as possi- 
ble for that spot, where they found the indi- 
vidual. 
The special object of the trip with Mr. and 
Mrs. Maxwell was to get elk, and as they were 
not at all familiar with the different localities in 
the Park, and the season was already so far ad- 
vanced that within a couple of weeks a storm 
might render the Snowy Range next to impassa- 
ble, they hired a professional hunter to assist 
them. He assured them he knew the exact 
locality in which to find elk, and would kill some 
in a day or two at most. 
He spent three days without seeing even a 
track of one ; then he reported having killed one, 
but said, “ It had the scurvy so bad its skin wan’t 
good fur nothin’, its meat a dog couldn’t eat, and 
its horns was broke ! ” a state of demoralization 
which, he assured them, quite disgusted him 
with the pursuit of that graceful animal, and 
compelled him to ask for his five dollars per day 
and to retire from business. 
In the meantime Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell had 
not been idle, but had collected minerals, ani- 
mals, and birds. About the time of the departure 
of the disgusted Nimrod, Mr. B- — - and his son 
left them, much to their regret ; and they re- 
moved to another point where two hunters were 
