Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-11-27
THE SAND HILLS HUNT.
A Nlmrod's Experience on the
Mouse River.
SECOND DAy

located by the camp fire, demurely con-
templating the success of the day and
the prospects Of the morrow. My hands
were not in condition to make nan
more s%nealss, and l imagined an ante
lope must be like the Irishn1an's flea
"when your hand was on him he was
not there" After a good n,get's rest
came the morning, full Of hope and en-
ergy. How wonderfully we are imbued
with surrounding influences. Last night
shut out the day with dark clouds, moi a
star peeped through to cheer and faint
tldings Of approaching winterwere min
gled with the wind that crept around
these old sand hills and famed the dy-
ing embers of our camp fire. Our spir-
its were co%rrespnndingly depressed. CON
versation Jagged and hope sank. This
morning when all nature is r~esplendent
with sunshine. hope resurrected, wills.
pers to our hearts success. Thus man.
kind drink into their being deep
draughts from the great jug of the uni
verse and are cast down or buoyed up.
This day Was to finish the grouse hunt.
ing as Mr.. Minot was obliged to leave
Towner enroute for Boston at 6:3Oa. M,
Of the following day. Leaving our
teams to rest and eat, we started out in
different directions with our shot guns
to hunt the brush among the sand hills.
Grouse at this season are in large iocks
and prefer the shelter Of the hills and
timber to the open prairie. The feed is
more plentiful in the timber. | have
raised a covey Of from 80 to 50 birds
which were feeding upon acorns from
the oaks. Sometimes | would get two
birds out of a coyey of this kind,
times only one and oftener not my.
They are very wild at this season, aud it
was $ q dry the rustling leaves and crack
ing sticks under III feet betrayed our
presence before sufficiently near to get
agood shot shooting in the brush is
not like the open prairie shooting. How
ever with four guns We got - grouse by
l O'Clock p. M, and then took our din
ner and prepared to separate. Mr.. Mi
not took all the grouse as the rest lived
In a grouse country and cared little for
them, and, in fact, We're so situated that
they could make no use of them. As
for myself and Mr.. Pitts we could only
use what was sufficient for ourselves, as
we were to remain out some time yet in
search of antelope and deer. Again
the exhibit of game from this country
brings many to see the country, thus
extensively adverlieing it. Well we are
ready to start, and saying goodby to
Coils. Towner and Uli,.e and Mr.. Minot
who are thoroughly satisfied with their
sport, Mr.. Pitts and myself head south,
while the former return to Towner and
civilization. Before starting south we
tied up a bundle of dry wood and strap
it to the wagon, for we are now going to
a country where there is not Il stick Of
timber, and we must have wood to cook
our meals. Before saying farewell to
McKay's ranch let me tell you that Mr..
Mckay has made this his home, and to-
gether with his wife and two little chill
dren is trying to get the best Of this
heartless world. by laying in store that
which will keep them in days when
youth anu strength have fled. For this
purpose they are living 30 miles from
neighbors Tor this they are living in Il
log house WITHOUT a floor, and the roof
of which is covered first with poles, then
bark, then hay and above that sod.
These are the pioneers of Jul country
and ! admire their pluck and energy.
Shaking hands with these people and
thanking them for their hospitality, we
head south over a portion OF country
that We traversed yesterday for about Is
miles, then due west, ana toward the
Dog Den hills. We travelled until al
most dark before we found a place 10
camp. We saw no game except one
fox, a few badgers and some bald lead,d
eagles. Our greatest anxiety as night
approached was to find a camping place
where there was plenty Of water for our
selves and horses; we found 1t at last,
and right glad we were. 1t was beside
one Of a chain of lakes where there was
plenty Of grass and a good watering
place. We picketed our horses, and
while Mr.. Pitts was building a fire | took
the gun and killed two ducNs and one
snipe. These we dressed and cooked.
and with our bread and butter and cof-
fee, enjoyed a hearty meal. Then we
put up our tent. This We did by tying
one end of the stick to the top OF the
hind wheel of our wagon, placing Il
crotched stick in the ground 70: the
other end to rest upon, then thr wing
the tent upon this and fastening the
ends to the ground with wooden pegs.
We were obliged to get ONE grass to
keep ue off the damp ground, but the
only scythe we had was Il case knife,
and it was slow work and rather hard on
the wrists; but W. managed it, and coon
had Il nice soft bed. We now lit our
pipes II enjoyed a smoke. If you
want to know what perfect quiet is, let
me recommend you to this spot. Ifyou
wish to size yourself up against the uni
verse, and know your " littleness
.I L~S-