East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-09-24

forest to find some spot for their noon
tide rest
II was very still day, and ther,
were nearly three hours of dayligh
left. WITHOUT word my silent com
panion, who had been scanning tn,
whole country with wk-eyed eager
ness, besides scrutinizing the signs oi
his hands and knees, took the trail
motioning me to follow. In a momen
we entered the woods, breathing slgl
Of relief as we did so: for while in tn,
meadow we could never tell that th'
buffalo might not see us. If they hap.
pened to be lying in some place will
I 4 commanding lookout.
Hunter Shows Skill
The old hunter was thoroughly
reused, and he showed himself very
| skilful traeker. We were much favor
ed by the character of the forest
which was rather open, and in mos
| places free from underground and
down timber. As in most Rocky
Mountain forests the timber wa.
small. not only as compared to the
giant trees of the groves of the Pacific
Coast, but as compared to the forest:
of the Northeast. The ground was
covered with pine needles and soft
moss, so 1t was not difficult to walk
noiselessly. Once or twice when
trod on small dry twig, or let the
nails in my shoes slink slightly
against a stone, the hunter turned to
me with frown of angry impatience;
hut as he, walked slowly, continually
halting to look ahead. as we'll as stoop-
ing over to examine the trail. did
not find it very difficult to move
silently. l kept a little behind him
and to one side, save when he crouch
ed to take advantage of some piece OF
cover. and crept in his footsteps. ]
did not look at the trail at all, but kept
watching ahead, hoping at any minute
to see game.
1t was not very long before we
struck, their day beds, which were
made on.a knoll, where the forest was
open and where there was much down
timber. After leaving the day beds
the animals had at first fed separately
around the grassy base and sides of the
knoll, and had then made off in their
usual single file, going straight to a
small pool in the forest. After drink
ing they had left this pool. and travel
ed down toward the gorge at the
mouth eof the basin. the trail leading
along the sides. of the steep hill, which
were dotted by green glades; while
the roar of the cataracts by which thl
stream was broken ascended from be-
low. Here we moved with redoubled
caution, for the sign had grown very
fresh and the animals had once more
scattered and begun feeding When
the trail led across the glades we us
ually skirted them so as to keep in the
timber.
Herd Discovered
At last. on nearing the edge of one
of these glades we saw movement
among the young trees on the other
side. not fifty yards away. Peering
through the safe shelter yielded by
some thick evergreen bushes. we
speedily made out three bison, COW,
a calf. and yearling, grazing greedily
on the other side of the glade, under
the fringing timber: ali with their
heads up hill. Soon another cow and
calf stepped out after them. / did not
wish to shoot, waiting for the appear-
ance of the big bull knew was ae-
companying them.
So for several minutes watched the
great. clumsy. shaggy beasts, as all
unconscious they grazed in the open
glade Behind them rose the dark
pines. At the left OF the glade the
ground fell away to form the side of a
chasm: down in its depths the cata-
racts foamed and thundered; beyond.
the huge mountains lowered their
crests' crimsoned by the sinking sun.
Mixed with the eager excitement of
the hunter was a certain half melan-
cheIy feeling al gazed on these bison.
themselves part OF the last remnant Of
a doomed and nearly vanished race.
Few. indeed. are the men who now
have, or ever more, shall have, the
chance of seeing the mightiest of Am
erican beasts, in all his wild vigor sur
rounded. by the tremendous desolation
Of his 7far-off mountain home.
The Bull Appears
At last, when had begun to grow
very anxious lest the others should
take alarm, the bull likewise appear
ed on the edge of the glade, and stood
with outstretehed head, scratching his
throat against young tree, which
shook violently. ] aimed low, behind
the, shoulder and pulled the trigger.
At the crack of the rifle all the bison,
without the momentary halt CT terror
struck surprise 20 common among
game, turned and raced off at head
long speed. The. fringe of young
pines beyond and below the glad
cracked and swayed as II whirlwind
were passing. and in another moment
they, reached the top OF a very steep
incline, thickly strewn with boalders
and dead timber. Down this they
plunged with reckless speed; their
surefootedness was marvel In such
Seemingly unwiedly beasts. a column
of dust obscured their, passage. and
undeFlits cover they disappeared In the
forest; but the trail of the bull was
marked by splashes OF frothy1 blood.
and we followed it at trot. Fifty
yards below the border Of the forest
we found the stark black body stretch
ed motionless. He was a splendid old
bull, still in his full vigor, with large
sharp horns, and heavy name and
glossy coat; and /, felt the most ex,ilt-
ing pride as l handled and examined
him: for had procured a trophy
such az can fall henceforth to few
hunters indeed.
Camp In The Wild
IL was too late to dress the beast