246 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA KS* 
CHAP. 
of 8 or 10 acres upon the face of the slopes, and 
is the chief resort of the black-tail deer. 
The game of this mountain range consisted of 
bears, wapiti, black-tail deer, bison, wild sheep 
(big-horn), antelopes, wolves, and foxes. Among 
the game-birds were the blue-tailed grouse, and the 
sage-hen. 
I had heard so much concerning the wanton 
slaughter of wild animals, that I determined not to 
leave the character of a “.destroyer” behind me; 
therefore, although my sport would be limited by 
showing mercy, I made up my mind to abstain from 
shooting only for the sake of killing. By adopting 
this arrangement I should have a certain advantage, 
as I should not alarm the country by firing many 
shots. 
The black-tail deer were not fit to shoot until 
the middle of October, as the horns were not yet 
clean. I regretted this, as their antlers are most 
peculiar, being curved, with a multitude of points, 
and although not large, they are exceedingly 
ornamental. This animal is about the size of a 
fallow-deer, the colour grayish brown, and the 
venison excellent. Owing to the disturbance 
caused by the skin-hunters, we saw no wapiti for 
several days. I was astonished, as the accounts 
that I had received had been most glowing. There 
were plenty of antelopes, all of which were as wild 
as hawks ; and had wapiti been upon the open, it 
would have been difficult in some places to have 
stalked them, as the antelopes scouring over the 
