The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1911-05-03

steep that We would often dismOunt and lead the
horses across.
The valley at this point widens out into an
open park of several hundred acres called the
Big Prairie" which is now fenced and used as a
horse pasture by the forest rangers. At the lower
end of this pasture the river makes a wide de-
tour around the vertical bluffs. the trail going
over the top joining the river again near the con-
fuence of the White river and the South Fork.
Here We made our permanent camp in a small
open park
For three days We had heard Marsh tell Of his
seventeen years experience in that part OF the
country as guide. trapper and hunter. which made
us all the more keen to try our skill on the game
for which We had made the long journey.
On the morning of October LIST. as soon as It
was light enough to see. Bert and Charles crossed
the river to look for elk near the lick We had
passed the day before. Eeiny. Marsh and went
UP on the mountain back Of our camp to look for
goats. while Ben set to work fixing up the camp.
We hunted along the top of the mountain for
a short distance. when presently Marsh called our
attention to what he thought was goat lying
out on a point of rocks on the west side and sure
enough. it settled all doubt by getting up and
walking out into plain view. We decided at once
to try for this one. 1t necessary to walk
back mile to a point where we could get down
onto ledge which We could follow. or half crawl
along back to the place where We had seen the
and made walking dangerous. and it was impos-
sible to proceed noiselessly, We would start
rocks to rolling over the edge every few steps.
At length We reached the belt Of timber which
hid the goat pasture. Heiny took the right side
Of the ridge and the left. and We began to move
toward the spot where the goat had been seen.
We had gone but short distance when heard
a shot and going in his direction saw him and
Marsh. Heiny had shot the goat which ran out
near the edge of the cliff and FELL lodging against
the roots of an upturned spruce 1t proved to be
an old one with two of its lower teeth missing
We took the skin. head and part of the meat on
what proved to be a most hazardous trip. as the
west side Of the mountain is a series Of narrow
lodges.
Banks of cloud were rising in the west. After
two hours of strenuous walking through the I'M
derbrrsh and windfalls. came out into the
park back of our camp Just as 1t began to storm.
Neither Charles nor Bert were in camp. and on
my part at least were the cause OF some uneasi-
ness. as it was raining and both had left camp
with only light sweaters.
In the morning as it was growing light. gazed
out through the tent-fy to see the mountains
white twothirds of the way down. A few min
utes later 1 heard a shot up the river which
Immediately answered with a couple more
Shortly after. Bert and Charles were wading
across the stream to camp. They had shot a
deer within mile of the camp. and had found
bunch of elk which they followed until night
Each was unable to find the other. and both con-
sidered 1t dangerous to try to walk to camp in
the darkness and gathering storm.
The following day was spent hunting through
the river bottoms and lower benches but without
results. only few deer being SEEN
That evening We decided on a strenuous hunt