The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-06-27
A HUNT FOR NOBLE GAME.
TRAILING THE MOUNTAIN GOAT IN
THE WlLDs OF IDAHO.

passed without success.
The third day, jus% before sundown, q
sharp exclamation from the half breed, fol
lowed by confused jabbering of English,
French and Indian words, suddenly put my
tired senses on the alert,
My eyes quickly followed the direction in
which his finger pointed Outlined against
the sky on point of rocks far above us, gaz-
ing down evidently with mingled fear and
curiosity, stood a mammoth male specimen
of the identical game for which our pilgrim
age had been made to the Sawtooth range
He was apparently out of reach Of my rife,
but, nevertheless, good Judgment deserted
me lust when it was needed and blazed
away at the old fellow. The bullet knocked
up a cloud of dust fifty feet below him.
He gave a contemptuous snort, reared on
his hind legs, turned on them as if on pivos
and again stood facing us. l had my rife to
my shoulder again by this time, having
raised the sights a trile, and gave him the
benefit of another shot, this time making the
dirt fly Just under his nose. Another snort
and again he stood erect and pirouetted like
a ballet dancer.
TIE FIRST VICTIM.
Just then heard the report Of gun by
my side The half breed had tried his hand,
and with much better success His bullet
struck the goat squarely in the breast and
penetrated his heart. He gave shrin whis-
Ting cry, as if of warning, sprang into the
air, and then his body cu1ne rolling and tun-
bling down the hillside until it landed at cur
feet.
There's more of them where he came
FROM said the half breesI, as he quietly drew
his knife and began to remove the hide while
the body still quivered- WANTED to rush up
the hillside in hot pursuit, but my companion
restrained me-
mo use now; all gono; wait till morning, {"
said he. Tomorrow w8 get all we want"
He was as cool as the mountain stream
which ran down the hillside short distance
away, while was experiencing genuine at
tack of "buck fever" and shaking like leaf
However, l managed to recover my compos-
ure, and examined the animal before me. He
was one Of the largest of his species, and must
have weighed over 500 pounds. In build l
know Of nothing he more nearly resembled
than the little black bears in Lincoln park
His body was large and heavy, and his legs
short and stunted. But his hideI It was the
prettiest pelt had ever set eyes on during all
my experience In the northwest Snowy
white in color, with long, straight hair like
an Angora goat, it almost made my mouth
water as | looked at it, and in moment
had reached into my pocket, pulled out a ten
dollar gold piece, and given it to the half
breed with the understanding that it was to
be my individual property. have it now in
my home in Hyde Park, as,l no amount of
money could buy it from me, although / was
offered five times its price shortly after my
return to Boise City, and could have sold it
on several occasions since then at a handsome
advance.
THE SECOND DAYS HUNT.
Early next morning we swallowed some
coffee, nibbled cracker, and, shouldering
our guns, started up the mountain side to-
wards thespot where the goat had been killed
the night before Reaching the point of
rocks, the half breed searched for few mo-
ments and then said:
"Come on"
followed him. The snow was crushed
and broken for several hundred yards, show
ing that Immediately after the death of the
leader the flock Of dozen or more goats
which had been with him had suddenly STAN
peded and fed without any particular aim
except to get away from the spot. Then the
trail narrowed, and finally 1t appeared as Il
some of the younger bucks had taken com
mand and led the retreat Day was just
breaking, and above us the peaks were CLINT
ed with the gold of the coming sun The
half breed broke into a rapid trot, and il
taxed me to the utmost to keep up with him
For nearly mile he kept up hisspeed, and
then suddenly stopped
mot far OFF now" said the half breed
"They sleep pretty close to here"
Then with a warning to go slow and
watch every footstep / made him lead the
way. We were approaching narrow point
of rocks, and just before reaching it be
stopped
Around there" was the brief injunction
"Me climb over rocks and scare EN- back
| Then you get shot at en-"
/ My nerves were like steel by this time, an6
concealing myself behind tree ! waited
| The half breed wriggled over the peak and
| disappeared Half an hour and not sound
| Then heard far away two faint reports
Instantly braced myself. In few second
| the flock came racing round the corner and
came straight toward me- had placed my
self SO that | calculated they would pas
scarcely dozen yardsuway. Past me they
raced, and ! let the leader have 1t squarell
behind the shoulder. He sprang to his fee
/ and then dropped dead A. female goat jus
behind him stumbled and fell over the body
The others huddled together. and enptiet
shot after shot into the flock from my repeat
er until all except four suddenly turned ant
! sped back in the direction from which thel
originally came. They had scarcely disap
peared around the rocks before heard TN
half breeds gun. He had hurried up ON th
trail, and was just in time to do some livel,
work The frightened animals finally racet
back past me; but had not expected thi
move, and so they were out of danger befor
could use my gun.
On being assured that IL was useles
to pursue the game farther broke CAM
and came back to Boise City, and thence b
Chicago, bringing with me the half dozel
hides you ses there and also my treasure
| which Is now at horle. -C Chicago Tribune