The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-11-26

stood frozen to the spot for perhaps d
minute, but 1t seemed an hour and then
| heard the crushing of brush and trees
coming to my senses | brought my rifle
to my shoulder ready and waiting fol-
the animal but it did not come. Going
a short distance | found its tracks in
the snow, then knew | was about to
have been tracked by the king of the
forest, the mountain lion, but ! did
not hear anything more so | passed on.
l wanted to get to the top and l was
well paid for SO doing for there was re-
vealed master piece of nature, q
lake at the top of the mountain, a small
one and the outlet to the lake passed
over the top of the mountain, the wa
ter falling some 200O #. down the
rocks into the Greek and found old
snow that had been there years and
wears and oh, so cold, am sure il was
below zero. | found rocks after got
down into the valley that were all roll
ed up like snow ball that some time
the volcano had thrown up and they had
started as small ball and kept rolling.
When they reached the bottom they
were larger than good sized house,
composed of small stones and dirt, etc,
SO when they got cold were just solid
mass. They have here on their noun
tains what is called mountain sheep.
They go in bands and will climb the
highest peaks, and walk around on
those mountains where no other living
animal could go. They have a large
cave in the mountains, go in one side
and out the other. We did not see
any, only their tracks. After looking
at the yard OF ground and scenery be-
fore me, until it was getting sun down,
| started back for camp, l found |
was farther away than had supposed,
nearly five miles, and about thirty
from any inhabitants. reached camp
without any more adventures. After
dark, tired, foot sore and hungry, after
watering our horses and eating supper
we closed our eyes again in slumber
When we opened our eyes the next
morning it was showing hard and con-
tinued through the day and we had all
we could do to get wood enough to
keep warm, before night a foot of
snow was on the ground and blowing
hard. 1t made me think of the days in
Vermont last December. Our ratiOns
were getting short and we had to eat
light, for we could not get down until
it grew warmer. For two days we
ate meat and fish straight, and we were
hungry as bears all of the time. AS it
cleared off the next morning we packed
up our things and started back but it
was hard travelling, had to walk and
lead our horses. We went some five
or six miles, stopped for the night had
supper and as we were in great deer
and elk country, we shouldered our
rifles and started for the yards. We
started about o'clock p. M, and did
not strike trail until sun down, then
we struck fresh trail of deer, five of
them and one elk, we followed them
two miles or SO and most likely we
would have got one, but they went
around where our horses were picket
ed, we heard them and before we could
get a chance to shoot they were off like
a flash. We followed them until we
lost their trail then we went back to
camp. The next morning | was up be-
fore light and as we were going home
thatdaV wanted to hunt all that'I
could, Il struck the old trail / left the
night before and followed long dis
lance and was disguised and struck
fresh deer trail and started on that.
| went until knew they would want
me back to camp, so went back and
as | crossed the old trail found that
The deer had taken their back track and
# | had only stopped on that, should
nave had one most likely. AS l was
,oing back found a fresh trail which
he elk had made, going from one
ange to the other, and as came out
On one of the little peaks looked over
me of the mountains and the sun was
ust rising up over ragged peaks, it
vas sight to behold, well worth the
ournev, but did not get any game that
corning. But as it was getting late ,
ook long last look and started for !,
amp, where they were all in hurry
0 get home. So 1--WE packed up, saddled
ur horses and were soon homeward |
ound, AT down we arrived home
18th only one adventure, as [ was
rossing the creek where the water ran
Witty, leading the pack horse, my I
orse slipped and fell in the water, =
lmping from the saddle as soon as !
ossible, | was on my feet in the e
eep water and it was very cold. Il
.fter while managed to fish him s
ut. AS the rest of the party had gone g
h was alone, found we were not y
uch hurt only little damp so pro-
,eded on my way home. We all
lought we had very fine time only a
tile snowy, so ended our trip in the n
ockies. Yours Truly, fl
GREEN MOUNTAIN Boy. A