The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1897-09-25

One OF n Hunting Party Tells Why He
Shot Decoy Geese.
ED TINES -MOIJNTAINEER:

One of Hunting Party Tells Why FL
Shot Decoy Geese.
ED TINES -MoUNTAINEER:
see in your valuable paper an ac
count of four gentlemen going acros:
the river hunting. 1t spoke about me
shooting some decoy geese. Now, Mr..
Editor, that is so. | shot at them with
the full intention of killing them, but
there are some other circumstances at
tached to that-hunting trip that will
try and explain, land when I get through
you will not wonder that shot at the
| decoy geese.
We started up Klickitat mountain
on this side with Bill Gilmore and
Tom Ward in the front seat. Dennis
Bunnell and myself in the back seat.
Before we got half way up the hill
they became very talkative, they got
to talking about stage driving and
killing Indians. Bill said his father
came to The Dalles in 1911. At that
time | got interested and asked Bill
how old he was when he came here
ne said ii. Bill showed us where he
killed three Indians at one shot. I
laughed, but he declared it was so.
Tom said he drove a stage from The
Dalles to Canyon City for 33 years; said
he drove l8 horses at one time to the
stage, and he proved it by Bunnell.
When we got to the top of the noun
tain and down on the other side, Tom
and Bill began to get pretty lively.
l think it was on account of the light
air. They started the horses down the
hill in dead run and instead of seeing
grouse they went SO fast we couldn't
have seen bear. When they came to
the road leading from Goldeudale 10
Lyle they turned down toward Lyle,
and all at once Bill stopped the horses !
and Tom got out and said he was sun
struck. From the way he staggered |
1 thought he had been struck by some !
thing. He laid down on the side of |
the hill and we went on and left him,
lrove on about three miles and came |
10 a house. Bill got out and said he
was going to ask them if there were
any grouse around there. He went to
,he house and inquired of lady if
here were any stray cattle around
here. 81 have 1900 head running around
lere somewhere" said he, and the lady
ooked at him as though she thought
lie was sun struck. Bill made it back
O the wagon and said to him we had
'etter 60 back to get the stage driver,
o we turned the team around and
rove back where Tom was sleeping.
Ie was so hot that he could n t swallow
7ater. took the stock off my gun
nd put one end of the barrel down his
hroat and poured water in the other
nd and managed to cool him off.
hen we started up the road, and by
ne way, we hao a dog with US and they
ad run the poor thing nearly to death.
When we got to the forks of the road
q started up the one that went to
oldendale. The dog was so warm he
idn't know what to do, but he sat
own and howled g few long pitiful
owls as good as to say IF you don't I
now what you are doing L do" and c
ruck for home. We drove on about
lree miles and camped, and about /
idnight Dennis said to me "if you s
ease go and get bucket OF water" 7
got gallon bucket full, and Dennis t
aux every drop of it, so that showed C
lat ne hadn't been drinking anything a
Sc. Now, Mr.. Editor, don't think r
III or anyone else would blame me C
r shooting those decoy geese or any f
ing else. 1. J. N. f