XXIV 
THE WAPITI 
251 
the flap. A very strong belt of leather, fastened also 
with copper rivets from the upper and broad portion 
of the leather case, is buckled round the front horn 
of the saddle. The rifle is now represented as 
muzzle downward, perpendicular. The butt-end is 
about level with the arm-pit of the rider. His bridle- 
hand holds the reins inside, therefore, when he 
requires his rifle suddenly, he has only to grasp it 
with his right hand by the neck of the stock, and 
draw it from its stiff and firmly secured leather case, 
as though it were a sword being drawn from the 
scabbard. I have never seen any plan equal to this, 
as you can gallop through bush without the rifle being 
any obstacle whatever, and you can draw it in an 
instant. 
I was riding along a ridge overlooking a valley 
upon my right, a few days after we had seen the 
bears, when I caught sight of a cotton-wood tree 
upon the margin of the spruce forest, that was shaking 
violently. At once divining the cause, I dismounted, 
and leaving my horse, I sat down upon the very 
steep grass slope, and thus shuffled along the incline 
until I was opposite the spot. I could see nothing, 
but after waiting for about a minute, I observed 
another cotton-wood shaking a few yards from the 
outside edge of the spruce forest. I knew that a 
wapiti must be rubbing its antlers against the yielding 
stem. The wind was in my favour, therefore, as I 
could not discern the animal, I felt that it did not 
see me ; accordingly I crept along the ground until 
I arrived at the margin of the wood. Again the 
