Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-18

N kNk2 SAa hoSA, every spc-
kNAMS cies Of exile has, per-
II SWNS haps, some alterations
SNE to its unhappiness.
Many army officers,
condemned to what are
still western wilds-
bachelors without the
compensations Of family ties and at isolated
posts, where military balls, pretty women and
patent feathers are only remembered as features
OF some happier past-have yet before them
resources of no mean order for the dispeIling of
ennui. Jolly mess the companionship of
agreeable comrades, horses. dogs, sport afield,
books and a healthy interest in ones military
duues-these should be, and are, TO many q
cnap In the western service specifics against the
worst attacks Of any devils, black or blue. that
may assall him. Our good fortune in the line
OF sport especially tor the first time strongly
impressed upon me during six weeks hunt l
was making In the northern Rockies in So We
were after mountain goats-the stupid but
well-nigh inaccessible chamois of America-and
mad left Fort Assinniboine with perfectly APP
pointed eHpeoi'ion OF ten picked hunters from
the cavalry, an army wagon. pack mules,
packers. cooks and an outfit selected carefully
as the result OF many years experience in such
work. The pitching and striking of TENT.
preparation Of meals. even in wet and woodiess
camps, herd duty and night guard-all this was
%
pllshed with a CELEBRITY and perfection OF system
That neither money nor experience can attain
outside OF the army. As for expense there was
none to speak Of Uncle Sam encourages such
expeditions. furnishing to officers and men
tentage. animals, wagons. packs. ammunition
and rifles absolutely gratis. The officers. of
course. carry usually their private rifles and
trout tackle on such hunts but their only nee
essary outlay is for their mess a nd in a game
ana nsh country S25 month would be consid-
81 ling
fall, when the weather is cold enough TO pre-
serve game, have more than once seen in
camp larder of elk, deer. bear, mountain
sheep and goat, blue grouse. geese, duck.
beaver tails and lake or brook trout, all at one
time, and the embarrassment of our soldier
ccok often proceeded from his inability to de-
clde what not to cook rather than as to where
his market supplies we're TO come from
1t was with an abundance of this sort that in
the year above named We left the main range
OF the Rockies and found ourselves in the pres
ence OF stranger camp on St. Mary's lakes
at :heir base and near the British line in north
west Montana. The unknown hunters proved
to be two members of the great banking firm
of the B-g Brothers. London and their re-
tanners. Upon exchanging experiences we
found that they had come all the way from
England to hunt goat in this particular spot.
They had with them sixteen pack horses at 50
head per day, two guides at SO each per day.
an expensive boat brought In two sections and
launched upon the lakes, tentsge. vehicles and
lot OF impedimenta-much of 1t of little use
for all Of which they had. it proved. paid ex-
travagant figures In round numbers I was
told. they had expended nearly $1,000 for
their trip. They were just about to return and
their bag had amounted to few lake trout and
hve goats! This was paving about 50 900
goat. Our protest that they were running the
market price did not seem to inspire them with
the slightest remorse, but the spectacle of even
these very wealthy gentlemen making journey
OF come ten Thousand miles and spending all
these shekels for few SKINS and heads travel
ing and camping with neither order discipline
nor comfort. and going back pleased with the
result, was SO palmetto a picture to us that we
forgaVe them. Our one bag of eight goat
twelve mountain sheep and much other garue
and fish had cost us less than SIS, This must
not be taken as the exutation of a sordid mind
over the cheapness of benefit rs obtained 1t is
simply commentary on the good fortune of
the army In having access to sport SO grand
and SO within its means.
PARADISE FOR HUNTERS
Despite the total extinction OF the buffalo and
the almost complete disappearance of the ante
lope certain portions of the west still furnish
territory in which the hunter NAV ind his par
adise. 1t has been nv sood fortune during
neariT fourteen yearS of service to have carried
a rife through nearly every considerable
mountain range in Oregon. Washington, Idaho
and Montana. Ii asked for the most popuIous
haunts OF large game in our country today L
would refer the sportsman to the vast mountain
area IN central Idaho, covered by the Salmon
river. Ceur d Aene and Bitter Root moun-
talnS to the Wind River mountains in the vi
cinitr of the Three Tetons. Wyoming. and to
various ranges and spurs running southwark
aud southeastward from the boundary of our
National tiellowstone) Park In these ranges.
amid peaks eternaiiy capped with Snow. and
many of them more difficult than the Matter
horn, the noble elk. the nimble and wary sheep
and the stupid goat in his cloud-wrapped habi-
ta'ion among the highest crags still occupy
businesses difficult of human discovery or APP
proach. In these ranges the valleys are often
scanned by foaming torrents OF snow water
alive with trout. innocent of the seductions of
the sportsmans II y-streams, in many cases.
deep enough TO assume the title of respectable
rivers were they only in a prairie country
These streams, the perpetual boys which often
line them. and the precipitous and rocky char
acter Of the mountain peaks, render penetra-
ton in their dark mysteries well nigh impossi-
Bile to any but the most determined and best
equipped of hunting parties at any season of
the year. In addition TO the above species Of
game, II may be said that deer and bear in
greater or less abundance. scattered with
catholic imrartiality over all the western states
and territories.
Of all the western commonwealth Wyoming
best preserves her game. Her laws are IRON
Clad in this direction. and what is more to the
point. they are strictly enforced by game con-
stables who constantly patrol the mountain
regions.
THE HUNTING PARTY
This fact came very near being fatal to q
hunting tour made into the Shoshone noun
tains IN November, 's9. had came back from
leave only short while before and was pining
for the odor Of the mountain fir and tamarack
and the sight of savory ribs Of sheep and deer
roasting on their willow spits before an old
time camp fire. / was stationed at the time at
Fort Custer, Mont, and from nv indulgent
post commander obtained the hunting leave
of a month which had asked for. knowing
the Shoshone mountains to be a magnificent
field for elk and sheep decided to make my
hunt in that range. This would take me about
$50 miles from the post and across the Wyoming