Sporting adventures in the far West

Preface

Having been a wanderer for nearly seven years in the Far West, a part of the time being ere railways were known there, and when very few whites, except the troops, were found in regions which now boast of thousands, I devoted particular attention to studying the fauna of the country, especially the game, whether it was fur, fin, or feather.

My object in preparing this work has been to give the general characteristics, the haunts, habits, and the best method of hunting the largest class of game; and as my facts are derived from personal experience, and from that of some of the most famous scouts and hunters I met in the West, I hope they may be found generally accurate.

The contests between men and the fiercer creatures which are related were, when I do not speak personally, heard around the camp-fire or in the Indian's wigwam, and one or two were culled from Western newspapers.

Having no desire to pose as a Nimrod, I may say that some of my hunting was as much for the purpose of studying the ferae, naturae as for killing them, and that their life was frequently more pleasing to me than their death.

6 PREFACE.

I have combined incidents in some chapters, notably the buffalo and the prairie-wolf, my aim being to give somewhat similar experiences which might, perhaps, be interesting when united, but tedious and unimportant if related separately.

The Author.

Chapter I. Hints To Sportsmen

Hints to Sportsmen. — Best Game Regions of the United States. — Profusion of Animal Life. — Advantages of the Far West as a Hunting-ground'. — Best Quarters. — Inconveniences of Farm -houses for Large Parties. — Character of Guides. — Resent all Assumption of Superiority on Account of Title or Wealth. — Anecdote of their Independence of Character. — Action and Reaction. — How to select Guides. — The Best Animals for Hunting Expeditions. — Tents to be used. — How and when to pitch them. — General Instructions about Camp Life. — What Foods and Medicines to use. — Bedding and Clothing. — Stoves. — Fires, and how to build them. — How to make a Fire without Matches. — Lamps. — Best Clothing for Hunting. — Treatment of Boots. — How to prevent the Feet from Blistering. — Moccasins and Slippers. — Rubber Goods. — Under-clothing. — An Antidote for Fever and Ague. — How to prevent the Insect Plague. — Picketing Horses. — Necessity of Vigilance. — How Sentinels should be Posted. — How to detect the Approach of Objects. — Weapons should be Convenient. — Thieves. — Best Fire-arms. — Bullets. — Breech -loading Shot-guns for Forest Shooting. — Woodcraft. — Lost in the Forest. — Necessity of Observation. — Value of a Compass. — How to track or trail Animals in Flight. — How to procure Water. — Telling the Weight, Size, and Movements of Animals by their Tracks. — Use of a Field -glass. — Qualities of a Successful Hunter. — Characteristics of Best Nimrods. — Difference between Field and Target Shooting Page 17

Chapter II. The Grizzly Bear

The Grizzly Bear. — Its Haunts, Habits, Size, and General Characteristics. — Fear of the Human Voice. — Its great Strength and Courage. — Fight between a Bear and Buffaloes. — The most Effective Means of killing it. — Anecdotes of Men killed and wounded by it. — Best Weapons for stalking it. — Is said not to touch a Man if he pretends to be Dead. — Examples. — How three Indians captured One. — Great Warriors and Grizzlies. — Value of Claws. — Judge Blank brings a Live Grizzly into Camp in a New Way. — Grizzly Bill. — Two Indians treed. — Subsequent Death of One. — A New Mode of killing a Grizzly in the West. — Its

Intractability and Selfish Nature.— How Mexicans capture it. — Is frequently killed by Hunters and Sportsmen single-handed. — My First Grizzly. — A Hunt after a Grizzly with Indians. — I am treed. — Death of a Warrior. — The Funeral Ceremony. — The Body subsequently devoured by Wolves. — A Comrade and Myself kill one in Wyoming. — A Grizzly invades the Camp. — The Midnight Alarm and Hunt. — I wound a Cub, and am chased by the Dam. — The Retreat. — Indian Anecdote of the Affection of a Grizzly for her Young. — Horseback Hunt with Greasers in California. — Our Trophies. — Death of a Horse, and wounding of its Rider. — We lasso Two Cubs. — Which is the King of Beasts — the Lion or the Grizzly ? Page 40

Chapter III. The Black Bear

The Black Bear. — Different Varieties. — Their Haunts, Habits, and General Characteristics. — Affection of Mothers for their Cubs. — Gravid Females never seen. — Migrations of the Bear. — Character of its Flesh. — Its Game Qualities. — Abundance of the Animal in the West. — The best Dogs for chasing it. — How to Hunt it. — Its Acuteness of Nose and Expertness in Swimming. — Captured by Steamers frequently in Puget Sound. — Why it is not Hunted much. — A Hunt with Indians. — The Scenes and Incidents of a Potlatch. — Capture of several Bears. — Tripped up while Stalking a Male. — Explosion of Gun. — A Rude Raft, a Wild Ride, and a Collision with a Barricade. — A bad Ducking. — I kill a Bear, and receive a bad Wound in the Arm. — A Canoe Trip, and a Hard Bump. — Reach Camp, and have my Wound dressed. — Return of the Hunters. — An Indian Festival. — How Indians cook Young Bears. — I am mistaken for a Bear by Hunters, and shot at. — Anecdotes of Men attacked by Bears. — A Bear -hunt which results in being Treed. — The Release, and Death of the Besieger. — How a Doctor captured a Bear. — Water versus Courage. — A Public Singer and an Imaginary Bear. — The Remuneration given for keeping his Adventure silent 75

Chapter IV. The Cougar And Lynxes

The Cougar. — Variety of its Names. — Size, Weight, Strength, Color, and General Characteristics. — Its Peculiarities when treed. — How Farmers kill it. — Anecdotes of its Courage. — A Fight with a Wolf and a Bear. — Desperate Struggle between a Cougar and an Unarmed Man in Oregon. — Two Kittens captured. — Death of the Dam. — A Wild Cougar plays with a Man in Washington Territory. — His Fright and Escape. — An Episode in Minnesota. — My First Cougar. — A Weird Funeral Ceremony among the Digger Indians. — Why the Californiaus are called Tar Heads. — My next Capture, and another Form of an Indian Funeral. — A Hunt in the Cascade Range. — Death of a Cougar. — My Companion wounded. — Legend of an Enchanted Lake. — A Cougar cripples an Indian. — Dangerous Character of the Animal. — The best Time for hunting it. — A Night Hunt, and its sei-ious Result. — Death of Two Cougars. — Other Members of the Cat Family. — Difference between Lynxes and true Cats. — How to distinguish them. — Lynx-hunts. — I kill Four in one Month. — Characteristics of the Genus. — Lynx-hunting as a Sport Page 106

Chapter V. The Gray Wolf

The Gray Wolf. — Number of Species of Wolves. — Difference in Colors. — The Size of the largest Variety. — Its Courage. — Captures of small Dogs from the Indians. — A Pack kills Two of our Dogs. — Retaliation. — Indians eat the Wolf. — Sagacity of the Animal in Hunting. — How a Pack drives Deer. — Stratagems resorted to. — Satellites of Herds of Buffaloes and Antelopes. — What Wolves live on. — Useful Scavengers. — Their harmless character to Man. — Famishing Wolves attack an Indian. — Result. — Afraid of a Child. — Yelps when wounded. — Their Size and Character when Food is plentiful. — How they are killed. — " Wolfers," and their Mode of Work. — Their General Character. — Sudden Wealth and Poverty.— A Lucky "Wolfer." — A Hunt with a " Wolfer." — His peculiar Breed of Dogs. — Their Speed and Stubbornness. — Six Cubs captured, and Two Wolves killed. — Pursuit of a Coyote. — Affection of a Mother for her Young. — How Wolves run when pursued. — Different Breeds of Dogs fit for Wolf-hunting. — How it is hunted in Portions of the West. — A spirited Wolf-chase. — How Wolves act when Trapped. — The Future of Wolf-hunting in the West 138

Chapter VI. The Prairie Wolf

The Prairie Wolf. — Origin of its Name. — Its Position among the Canidw. —The connecting Link between the large Wolf and the Fox. — Its Burrows. — Peculiarity of its Barking. — Its Form aud Color. — How it is looked upon by Plainsmen. — Where it is very Abundant. — Hunting it on Horseback.— Its Speed. — Best Dogs for Hunting it. — Its Numbers make it difficult to be Hunted by one Pack of Hounds. — The Heaviness of its Brush. — When it runs best. — Best Horses for the Chase. — Leaves a Screaming Scent. — Dashes after it with Hounds and Horses. — Kill Six in One Day. — Run into Encampments of War-parties of Indians. — Rapid Retreat. — A Severe Fight with the Red Men. — A Chase on the Plains of the Columbia. — The Meet. — Mongrel Dogs and their Love of Fighting.— At Cover.— Start.— Two Coyotes.— The Pursuit.— Killed by Indian Dogs. — A Mongrel Greyhound brings One to Bay, and it is shot. — I shoot One. — Looking for my Party. — A Meet and a Run. — Surprised by Indians. — Whites veisus Indians in the Chase.— Seven Coyotes killed.— Fun and Confusion.— Falls and Laughter. — The Relation of Indian Dogs to Coyotes. — Their Character for

Hunting. — Future of Coyote-hunting 161

1*

Chapter VII. The Buffalo

The Buffalo. — Number of Species. — Difference between them. — The gigantic Buffalo of prehistoric Times. — Fierce Aspect of the modern Bison. — Courage of the Male. — Social Character of the Species. — Mothers have Little Affection for the Calves. — Fight between a Grizzly Bear and a Small Herd of Bulls. — A Bull rescues a Calf from a Pack of Wolves. — Another tries to protect a Cow from a Hunter. — A New Mode of capturing Calves. — Buffaloes in a State of Domestication. — Favorite Habitat of the Buffalo. — Character of the Buffalo Grass. — Sufferings of the Animals in Winter from Hunger. — Why Old Bulls leave the Herds. — Use of the Buffalo to the Indians. — The Flesh of the Buffalo.— A Custom of the West. — How the Wolverine feasts on dried Buffalo Meat. — Cunning and Courage. — Pemmican. — The most Delicate Parts of the Buffalo. — Cows better than Bulls. — Vitality of the Animals. — Best Weapons for hunting them. — American Horses versus Mustangs. — Opinion of Old Hunters. — Faults of Mustangs in running Buffaloes. — The Various Systems employed for killing the Buffalo. — Great Annual Slaughter of the Animal. — Indians dressed in Wolf-skins attack the Buffalo. — Why they use Arrows instead of Fire-arms. — Huuts of the Half-breeds of British America.— Mean Devices of the Whites. — How Thousands are destroyed Annually. — The Camp and the Night Alarm. — Shooting at Antelopes.— Stalking Buffalo Skulls. — Gambols of Herds. — A Dash after a Herd, and what came of it. — An Alarm of Indians. — Opinions of a Party of Teutons about Jokes. — The Result to me of my Day's hunting.— A Spirited Chase in the Republican Valley. — Wolves and Number of Quarries killed. — A Thousand Hunters and Thousands of Buffaloes in Motion at the same Time.— Howling Wolves and bellowing Bisons. — An Alarm of Sioux. — The Retreat. — Panic-stricken Pawnees Page 192

Chapter VIII. The Moose

The Moose. — Its Range in the West. — Its Form, Haunts, and Habits. — The Rutting Season. — Cries of the Animal. — How Males are lured within Rifle Range.— Calling as an Art. — How to make a Call. — The best Callers. — Young Bulls easily inveigled. — The best Time for Calling. — The Moose as a Browser.— Difficulties in stalking it. — Acuteness of its Nose and Ears. — How experienced Hunters quarter the Ground. — Its Haunts in Summer. — Hunting it in Winter.— Dogs and Snow-shoes. — The European and American Species. — How the Latter can be Domesticated. — Hide -hunters. — A Moose -hunt, and its Result. — A Charge. — Lost in the Forest. — Trying to And Camp. — A Welcome Moose-call. — Rescued.— A Hunt on Snow-shoes. — Episodes.— Number of Moose killed. — Difference in Size and Habits between the Eastern and Western Species.— Large Antlers. — Moose-hunting as an Art. . 244

Chapter IX. The Elk, Or Wapiti

The Wapiti. — Its Range, Haunts, Habits, and Gait. — Fierce Contests between the Males. — How they may be detected by the "Shaking." — Courage of the Elk. — Two Men charged by a Couple in Oregon. — The Escape. — Novel Mode of killing it in the North-west. — Thousands never saw Man. — When started, said not to stop until it crosses Water. — How Herds run when in Flight. — Their Speed and Endm - ance. — The Elk as a Roadster and Saddle Animal. — Hide-huuters. — Great Slaughter of the Animal. — Why Hinds lead the Columns. — How to Hunt it successfully in the Forest and on the Plains. — Dr. Carver's Great Feat. — The best Weapons. — How to Shoot on Horseback. — The most Exciting Run I ever had after it. — Bagging a Stag. — Pursuit of a Hind, and why she was Captured. — Escape of a Fawn. — Surprised by Indians. — The Assembly. — Our Plans and Stratagems. — A Running Fight. — Loss of the Indians. — Find Refuge in a Chasm. — Death of one of our Men. — He is mutilated, and burned to Death. — Our Retreat. — Suffer from Hunger. — Loss of our Camp, and Escape of the Camp Guard. — Where we found Safety. — A Scalp Dance. — Unusual Abundance of large Game. — We kill sixty Elks in Colorado. — Lassoing Fawns. — Visions of the Sport Page 266

Chapter X. The Mule Deer

The Mule Deer. — Its Haunts and Habits. — General Characteristics. — Origin of Name. — Weight, Size, and Appearance. — Why it is called the Jumping Deer. — Fire -hunting. — Herding of Bucks. — Hunting with Hounds. — Stalking. — Migrations of the Animal. — Large Numbers killed by Hunters. — A Hunt in the Bitter Root Mountains. — Wailing of Squaws. — A Visit to an Indian Cemetery. — Disappearance of the Mourners. — A Retreat. — Wolves. — Sit up all Night. — Fear of Indians. — A Visit from them in the Morning. — Our Preparations for their Reception. — Mutual Recognition. — The Trapper's Story. — Visit the Indian Camp. — The Pipe of Peace. — Speeches. — A Buffalo Dance. — Revisit the Burial-ground. — Mode of Burying the Dead. — Mourning Songs of Squaws. — Change Camp. — Number of Deer captured, and how we Bagged them. — Wolves attacking a Stag. — Death of Five of them. — Change Quarters. — Hunting Does and Fawns. — Why these keep to the Foot-hills. — Our Success with them. — Another Visit to the Indian Camp.— An Aged Couple deserted.— How Indians treat Old People.— Their Fate 292

CHAPTER XL

THE BLACK-TAILED AND VIRGINIA DEER, AND THEIR VARIETIES.

The Black-tailed and Virginia Deer, and their Varieties. — Range of the Black- tail. —Misapplication of Names. — Size, Speed, and Jumping

Power. — Character of its Flesh. — Its Abundance. — Gi - eat Numbers slaughtered Annually. — Objection of Pot-hunters to Hounds. — Best Kind of Dogs for hunting it in the Forests. — Packs in the North-west. — Use of Deer-hounds. — Where to find the Black-tail. — The White-tailed Deer. — Its Haunts and Habits. — Difference between it and the Black-tail when running before Hounds. — Its Intrusive Character and Abundance. — How Farmers keep it away from their Crops. — Antipathy between Sheep and Deer. — Fondness for Salt and Sulphur Springs. — Best Weapon for hunting it. — The Spotted and White Deer. — The Former a Great Pet. — The Latter supposed to be a Wandering Spirit by the Indians. — Where found. — The Virginia Deer. — Its Feeding-grounds. — Best Time for stalking it. — How to stalk it. — The Dwarf Deer. — Its Haunts, Habits, and Numbers. — Different Methods of hunting Deer. — A Day's Hunting in the Woods with Hounds. — Number Captured. — A Fortnight in the Forests of Washington Territory. — Our Camp and Hunting Experience. — Extraordinary Abundance of Fur, Fin, and Feather. — Incidents of Sport and Camp Life. — Merry Times. — Attacked by a Buck. — Lost in the Forest. — Actions of a Man when lost. — How I reached Camp. — Excursions after Fin and Feather. — Homeward bound. — A Grand Huntball. — The Ball-room aud the People. — An Original Band. — The Terpsichoreans, and now they were put through their Figures.— Ball-room Scenes and Repasts. — A Hunt-dinner. — Rambling once more. — A Pleasant Reminiscence Page 323

Chapter XII. The Antelope, Or Prong-horn

The Prong-horn. — Its Haunts, Range, and Abundance. — Character of its Food. — Its fear of Woods.— Its Position in Natural History. — General Characteristics. — Strange Growth of its Horns. — Its Glandular System. — Is easily Tamed. — Sterility when Domesticated. — Its Speed. — Coursing it with Greyhounds.— Vigilance of the Animal.— A Herd on Guard. —Best Means of stalking it— Great Curiosity of Males.— Weeps when wounded. — Twenty-four killed by oue Dog. — A Day's Coursing on the Laramie Plains. — Lassoing Fawns.— The best Dogs for the Chase. — How experienced Hounds hunt the Antelope. — Stalking and its Result.— Playful Fawns.— Stags and Wolves.— Fate of the Antelope.. 363

Chapter XIII. The Rocky Mountain Goat

The Rocky Mountain Goat.— Position in Natural History.— Its Classification. — Supposed to be a Goat-antelope.— Its Appearance, Haunts, and Habits.— Character of its Hair.— Vigilance of Sentinels.— Its Nimbleness.— Fear of the Lowlands.— Getting Scarce.— Flocks in Flight- First Introduction to the Goat— A March with Indians.— A Stalk in the Cascade Range.— Its Result— Disappointment— A Ram killed.— Skin spoiled by a Fall.— A Hunt in Montana.— Sharp Terriers.— Their use in stalking. — Trophies and Tramping. — Opinion of an old Hunter on Goat-shooting. — A successful Stalker's Faculties. — Charging Goats. —The use of Dogs in hunting them Page 381

Chapter XIV. The Big-horn, Or Mountain Sheep

The Big-horn, or Mountain Sheep. — Its Haunts and Habits. — Characteristics required to Hunt it successfully. — Its Caution and Vigilance. — Order of a Flock in Flight. — Hunters' Tales of its Nimbleness. — Pugnacity of the Males. — Contest between a Wolf and a Big-horn. — Size of Rams. — Measurement of Horns. — The Rutting Season. — Flocks of Old Rams. — Best Time for Hunting them. — Stalking Exercise. — A good Rifle. — Usefulness of a Field-glass. — Indian "Sheep-eaters." — Pemmican.— My First Hunt.— A Kill.— Stalk a Flock.— Detected.— The Assembly. — Result of a Fusillade. — Tedious Chase after an Old Ram. — I get Butted over. — A tardy Capture. — Flavor of wild Mutton Cutlets. — Dogs for Sheep-hunting. — A Hunt in the War Eagle Mountains. — Our Success. — A Cougar scared. — "Dancing" Sheep. — Big-horns waiting for their Leader. — Adventure of the Guide with a War-party of Indians. —Defeat of the Latter 394

Chapter XV

Foxes very Numerous in the West. — Hunting-clubs. — Various Species and Varieties of Foxes. — Difference between the American and the European Red Fox. — Size, Color, Characteristics, and Value of Fur of the Prairie, Cross, Black, Silver, Swift, and Arctic Foxes. — Difference between the Red and the Gray Fox. — The Latter trees, but rarely runs to Earth. — A true Woodland Animal. — Its Food. — Is being superseded by the Red Species. — The Dwarf or Island Fox. — Lives on Insects. — Fearlessness and Numbers. — Cause of its Diminutive Size. — Value of Fox-skins in Commerce 418

Chapter XVI

Hares. — Their Abundance. — The "Jack Rabbit." — Mark Twain's Opinion of its Speed. — Marvellous Tales of Pioneers. — What constitutes an Oregon Mule. — Coursing - clubs. — California Greyhounds. — Characteristics of the Water-hare. — Swims like a Retriever. — How it escapes its Pursuers. — The Swamp-hare. — Its Peculiar Appearance. — Measurements. — The Washington, Prairie, California, Wood, and Sage Hares, and the Smaller Varieties. — Peculiar Character of Baird's Rabbit. — The Males suckle the Young. — Dissection by a Surgeon. — How Indians and Whites capture Hares 426

Chapter XVII. The Raccoon, Opossum, And Squirrel Famieies

The Raccoon, Opossum, and Squirrel Families. — Number of Species. — How Hunted. — Two Negroes and a Coon Stew. — Best Way of Shooting Squirrels Page 436

Chapter XVIII. Fur Animals

Haunts, Habits, and Mode of Capturing the Wolverene,' Mink, Fisher, Marten, Ermine, Musk-rat, Skunk, Badger, Land and Sea Otter, Fur-seal, Beaver, and Showtl. — An Unpleasant Adventure while after Fur-seals. — Enormous Destruction of Fur Animals. — Latest Statistics.. 442

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Moose-calling Frontispiece

Grizzly Bears 41

Necklace of Bears' Claws 50

Lassoing a Grizzly 73

Black Bear _ 76

Indian Dance 85

The Puma, or Cougar 107

Concolor — The Puma Ill

Gray Wolves 139

Prairie Wolves 162

The Wolf 166

Coyotes 169

A Wolf-hunt on the Prairie 189

American Bison 194

The Herd moving toward Water 201

Kaiowa Buffalo Chase 211 -

Buffalo-running 237'

Buffalo-hunting , 240

Snow-shoe 261

Moose-hunting 264

Wapiti Deer 267-

The American Deer 293

Virginian Deer 325 ■

Feeding-ground of the Antelope 364

The Big-horn 395

River Scene, Montana , 416

The Fox 419

The Hare 427

The Rabbit Warren 433

The Raccoon 436

The Squirrel 440

The Wolverene , 442

The Ermine 448

1 6 ILL USTEA TIOXTS.

PAGE

Musquash, or American Musk-rats 449

The Badger 450

The Otter 451

Fur-seals at English Bay, St. Paul's Island 455

The Seal 456

The Beaver Trap 459

The Beaver 460

Bulls Quarrelling 467

SPORTING ADVENTURES

IN

Chapter I. Hints To Sportsmen

Hints to Sportsmen. — Best Game Regions of the United States. — Profusion of Animal Life. — Advantages of the Far West as a Hunting-ground. — Best Quarters. — Inconveniences of Farm-houses for Large Parties. — Character of Guides. — Resent all Assumption of Superiority on Account of Title or Wealth. — Anecdote of their Independence of Character. — Action and Reaction. — How to select Guides. — The Best Animals for Hunting Expeditions. — Tents to be used. — How and when to pitch them. — General Instructions about Camp Life. — What Foods and Medicines to use. — Bedding and Clothing. — Stoves. — Fires, and how to build them. — How to make a Fire without Matches. — Lamps. — Best Clothing for Hunting. — Treatment of Boots. — How to prevent the Feet from Blistering. — Moccasins and Slippers. — Rubber Goods. — Under-clothing. — An Antidote for Fever and Ague. — How to prevent the Insect Plague. — Picketing Horses. — Necessity of Vigilance. — How Sentinels should be Posted. — How to detect the Approach of Objects. — Weapons should be Convenient. — Thieves. — Best Fire-arms. — Bullets. — Breech -loading Shot-guns for Forest Shooting. — Woodcraft. — Lost in the Forest. — Necessity of Observation. — Value of a Compass. — How to track or trail Animals in Flight. — How to procure Water. — Telling the Weight, Size, and Movements of Animals by their Tracks. — Use of a Field -glass. — Qualities of a Successful Hunter. — Characteristics of Best Nimrods. — Difference between Field and Target Shooting.

The higher order of game animals are now so scarce in the United States east of the Missouri River that sportsmen can have little real hunting until they go far to the west of that noble stream; but if they would enjoy it to an unusual extent they must cross the Rocky Mountains;

for in the vast area lying between that chain and the Pacific Ocean may be found nearly every species of game indigenous to the North American Continent, and several whose habitat is confined to that region alone. Anions: the latter may be mentioned the grizzly and black bears, the mountain sheep and goat, several species of deer, besides cougars, wolves, foxes, and many smaller quadrupeds. Of the entire area, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington Territory, with their towering mountains and extensive plains, dense forests and treeless plateaus, are by far the best hunting-grounds, as they possess all the elements of soil and climate necessary for the sustenance of a large and varied faunal life, and their population is yet so limited that it has little effect on the increase of the ferce naiurce. These countries can be approached in variety and abundance of game only by the tangled jungles of India, or the impenetrable woods of Africa; and as they, including Utah, embrace an area of nearly six hundred thousand square miles, or about five times that of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, it is evident that they will afford a splendid field to true sportsmen for many years to come. In their profusion and variety of game birds and fishes they have no rivals in any quarter of the globe; hence it may be safely stated that the entire region extending from California on the south and west, to British America on the north and east, is without a peer as a recreation-ground for those who love the ecstatic excitement of the chase, or the quiet, meditative pleasure of angling. The advantages which the Far West possesses over all other places to the lovers of the rod and gun are, that the expense of reaching it is comparatively small ; that game is unusually abundant; that life is generally safe there now from the attacks of savages, fierce animals, irritating insects, poisonous serpents, or deadly diseases, by taking ordinary precaution ; that trusty and experienced guides are easily procured, and at a nominal sum ; that an outfit complete in every detail may be obtained in a town of any importance ; that a rapid means of travel are always at command ; and, finally, that no matter how irregularly persons may roam in pursuit of game, they are within a few days' march of civilization and the highways of communication with the outer world.

Those who visit the country in seai'ch of the denizens of the forest and the stream, the mountain and the plain, should, if they wish to be unusually successful, or desire to satiate themselves with the delights of hunting and fishing, be prepared to camp out, or take up their quarters in farm-houses some distance away from large settlements. The latter is much the cheaper plan, and may do well enough for single individuals or very small parties; but it has its disadvantages in the fact that the surrounding country is hunted in a short time, that the accommodations are often of a poor character, and are sometimes difficult to find ; for the owners of cabins frequently object to receiving strangers, and especially those from the city, who are supposed to be exceedingly fastidious in their tastes ; and, finally, the Nimrods are hampered in the freedom of their movements and actions, and are never so much at their ease as they would be if they were snugly quartered in their own tents or wagons, or even extended under the umbrageous shelter of a spreading tree. The inconvenience is all the greater if persons are accompanied by dogs, horses, and a large hunting paraphernalia ; but if not, and they only desire a few days' hunting or fishing in a place, and they do not care about making very large bags, a farm-house may afford them all the comforts they want, and will at least save them no small sum for camping outfit and the means of travelling.

Some of the guides in the country are prepared to accommodate a few followers of the chase; but it is often the case with them that familiarity breeds contempt; hence they do not work so well, in many instances, as they would if their proteges were less familiar with them. One word may be said here of these Western guides, and that is, that they will bear no high-handed dictation or any assumption of superiority over them by those under their guidance;

and though they may not resent it personally, they will in many other ways, by causing a person's hunting exploits to be few and far between, and to make him tramp many weary miles over rugged mountains, through precipitous canyons, and over tiresome plains, for no other purpose than to thoroughly fatigue him, so that he may be glad to take a rest the next day. If he is kind, genial, and openhearted, however, they will do almost anything for him, and will leave no effort untried to make his experience of the chase as pleasant as possible.

I remember meeting a party of English tourists once in Nebraska who were out on a buffalo-hunt; and although they were travelling three days, and had met herds of buffaloes every day, they were not able to get a shot at one ; but, with characteristic pluck, they were still following the moving throngs, hoping to be able at some time to have a dash on horseback after them. As they had two good scouts and some experienced wagon-drivers with them, I was rather surprised at their ill luck, but my surprise ceased when I spoke of the matter to the leader of the expedition. His explanation, which was made with many expletives, and in exceedingly vigorous language, was, that the tourists, who knew nothing about the business on which they were engaged, were constantly dictating to himself and his companions what they should and should not do in the most frigid and supercilious manner; that they never spoke to them except to give some command or make an impatient inquiry; that they kept entirely to themselves both in camp and on the march, and never once offered to share the contents of their flask with them ; that their English servants were even as consequential as their masters, and evidently looked upon them (the guides) as barbarians and mudsills, and would obey no order unless it came from " mawster ;" and that all, when by themselves, were overheard running down the country in every way. " 'Tain't likely," was the scout's comment, " that we're going to trouble ourselves much about of that sort, so