Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-08-04
HOW AND WHERE L FOUND
RELATIVE.

The summer of 1852 l spent
among the Rocky Mountains in the
company of Jacques Perault, a
French Canadian, and Martin Hop
per, a native of Missouri. They
were both experienced mountain
men and excellent comrades. The
world never saw two more daunt-
less hunters, and yet they were,
ordinarily, as gentle and as shy as
girls.
At that period l had no expe-
rience whatever in the wild life of
a hunter, and many times / came
near leaving my bones to bleach
among the vast solitudes but for
the timely aid of Perault Or Hop
per.
We had made our temporary
home in a remarkably singular cave
that opened on a plateau that was
covered with grass of so good a
quality that our worn-down ponies
soon commenced to show the effect
of their nutritious feeding.
1t was favorite camping place
of my companions, and had been
their resort for years before. The
cave was some fourteen feet high
irregular in shape and ten feet wide.
Outside, aud on the southern side
Of the cave was a sort of oyerhang
ing arch, beneath which our ponies
found a shelter at nights. Alto.
gether the spot was not bad loca
tion for one who might wish to play
the hermit, and it certainly was no
without interest. For miles fal
away mountain rose on mountain
and occasionally long lines of greer
and brown pasturage were seen be
tween the rugged defiles.
, Perault and Hopper were thC
most indefatigable hunters | eve
knew, and their shooting with {
rife was something wonderful t
witness. They generally started
, away at dawn of day, and rarely re
. turned until nightfall. The exces
9 siye fatigue / underwent on m,
; first days hunt with them made m
cautious how repeated the expert
ment. had Joined them merel
: for the novelty and excitement o
the thing, and intended making
: journey to the solitudes again.
n therefore had not the same motiy
b in the hard work my friends had
g who we're professional hunters
: Whole days together | would ham
,. about our location and dress tn
skins broughtin by my companions
}. or stay near by, rifle in hand, t
ns m pick up any game that Nigh
y chance to come in my way. M
n comrades had often warned me no
Z to wander too far, as the danger c
t. losing oneself was very great.
J. neyor should have forgotten thei
:, :, advice had not a circumstance OF
3, A. CURED which, for the time, utterl
Is prevented my remembering the
admonition.
was out one glorious mornin
II with my rife, when, just before m
| spied two bear cubs making r,
~ markable good time along Il
At mountain path to elude me. The
were pretty creatures, WEIGHING
4. perhaps, sixty pounds each, al
seemed, as the sun shone upC
: their sleek hides, as black as Goa
: / raised my rife to fire, but gre
desire to capture one or both
them alive caused me TO hesita
and the next moment they hi
passed from sight around a mou
tain Of gpar. Throwing my ri
over my shoulder | foolishly ga
do them chase, and in o few momen
came in sight of them once MOI
= but they were far ahead Of n
Imagining l could cut off their I
- treat l sprang out Of their pat
! and made a direct run for a poi
far down the mountain side, whe
a few stunted pines reared thu
green heads. Ten minutes Of rap
running brought me to the poil
painting and excited with the cha'
~ when, pausing TO watch for l
ur- game, | was startled by a shal
Go,,oo o,,ou,l thof rnoda NV vetv IN