The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1885-11-11

Mountain sheep or BIG Horns, ana tnaJ no
man had taken wagon up there, but
could 60 with pack horses, We went
about three miles up the creek aud con-
cluded to let the basin out A man came
with some horses about dark and Campod
with us He told us that we we're then at
the nearest point 10 the basin, so the boys
thought we would stop there a few days
and look out q road. Next morning the
boys started out to prospect, and stayed
in camp. While they were gone I took
complete satisfaction on a flock Of noun
tain grouse-killed the whole hook-six Of
them. They are about as large as a pheas-
ant are full feathered to the toes, have
long square tails, color blue, meat white
and firm as quail. The boys came home
about four p. m. tired and hungry. Had
killed three deer, and in q short time killed
two wolves. The boys think we can get in
the basin with wagons. Monday started
and got into the edge Of the basin with
both teams, there leave the big wagon and
cache (hide) our stuff, take the blackboard
two pack horses and go in about four miles
This is beautiful park, bounded on the
north by a high precipitous mountain al
most perpendicular, and about 5000 feet
high, sloPing to the south on upward grade,
as O'Hair creek runs right along the foot of
the mountains.
went down to the creek just before sum
down and got after a deer. (There are
three kinds here-the white tail, like in the
States; the black tail, much larger; then
the flag tail, with broad flowing tail, white,
and about half as large as the white tail
and can run like scared wolff While I
was creeping to get a shot almost tramped
on a mountain lion, which jumped and ran.
The brush was awfully thick, SO only saw
him ns he jumped, and had no chance for a
shot. He went one way, and the other
for open ground. The mountain lion is
very similar to the panther, and I guess a
little more liable to jump on a man without
provocation. Well, wasn't hunting
painters anyway. We saw another
mountain lion and three elk-no bear.
This was the first trip, so deer and ante
lope were too small game for me to shoot
at. We passed them for something larger
and did not get tie larger. There were
three hunters camped here for the winter.
They had killed three mountain sheep the
day before, and 1 saw the head Of one beau
tiful specimen. As we were after bear and
the signs were too old, we left there for
Sinking Water. Got to the main steam in
days drive. This is a good sized stream,
very swift with plenty of trout, but the
country is barren. Here man has a road
rancho or tavern, and keeps post office, and
has bridged the stream, which can not be
forded at all times. He will make money
here. The stream takes its name from
some springs about twelve miles above
You can at times smell the fumes here, as I
did. They are really geysers. It is natu-
rally in National Park, though not geo.
graphically. At the crossing Of the stream
we saw eight buffaloes on the other side in
bad lands I intended going after them
next morning but found we had lost our
saddle bags containing our shells and other
things George and Charlie rode back to
the edge Of the basin and found them where
they had slid Off of the pack horse; thi.
took all day. George killed an antelope
for the head, which was a splendid speci
men, and skinned it out and took the meat
off to leave it.
We then started for Heart Mountain, go
| up there and it was so smoky we left ant
started north for home, via the Pryol
Mountains. We thought as we were com
ing home we would shoot almost anything
t for meat Well, the first thing, shot a
I an antelope that was running fired thre
shots without effect when he got over hill
8 I slipped up after him and came in sight o
3 his head and neck just stuck up over tn
I hill. took steady aim, pulled the trigge
D and heard my ball strike, and saw him fa
, at the same time. Stepped the distanc
@ and 1t was Just 267 long steps. The boy
said 1t was the best standing shot Of tn
r trip. butOhered him and started for tn
wagon with him on my shoulder. He wa
k too heavy for me, so just threw away th
a shoulders. Don't it seem pity2 On on
o way we shot lots of game. Came throug
r Pryor Pass, after passing over about fort
g miles Of desert, where there was plenty {
T sand, but no water, no grass, no wood, Onl
b, a few small sagei no life Of any kind. Afte
IS passing the gap, the country is splendit
y We were then in the Crow Indian Reservl
g ton. 1 hope Congress will purchase it {
d the Red man, and put it up for settlemen
, Stopped over night with Chief Plenl
- Coves. He and George are great friends
@ and George can beat him at shooting. Th
@ Crows had fight with the Piegans, an
k Plenty Coves killed Piegan. he shove
10 us the gun he got, but would not show I
% the scalp. Said it was big medicine
If Couldn't open, no see." He has tv
II story log house, very comfortable. "
Is slept in this house. We smoked with hin
ss passing the pipe as you read Of. The
ID are twenty-seven lodges of Indians vii
AZ him. We went up another creek, st
g.. looking for bear, aud saw plenty Of tract
IN but no bear. Saw one bear track-grigz
d. which was eight inches wide and fourte,
Q, long.