Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1Baker, Samuel White, Sir
History
Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1
Baker, Samuel White, Sir
Animal behavior; Hunting
The hide of the largest bear would weigh fully 50 lbs., those of the
smaller 25 lbs. each = 100 lbs. The four black-tail deer would weigh
fully 50 lbs. Therefore the mare was carrying 150 lbs. of hides, in
addition to Bob Stewart, who weighed about 9 stone, making a total of
about 276 lbs., irrespective of his rifle and ammunition.
It was a strange country; the elevation of our camp was about 10,000
feet above the sea-level, although we were in a deep and narrow glen,
close to a very small stream of beautifully clear water. Upon either
side the valley, the hills rose about 1400 feet; at that season
(September) the summits were in some places capped with snow. The sides
of the hills, sloping towards the glen, were either covered with forests
of spruce firs, or broken into patches of prairie grass and sage bush,
the latter about as high as the strongest heather, and equally tough and
tiresome.
The so-called camp was upon an extremely limited scale; a little
sleeping tent only 7 feet by 7, and 5 feet 8 inches in the highest
portion; this had no walls, but was simply an incline from the
ridge-pole to the ground; it was a single cloth, without lining of any
kind, and bitterly cold at night. This was rough work for a lady,
especially as our people had no idea of making things comfortable, or of
volunteering any service. If ordered to come, they came; to go, they
went; to do this or that, they did it; but there was no attempt upon
their part to do more than was absolutely required of them. Shooting in
the Big Horn range is generally conducted upon this uncomfortable plan.
It is most difficult to obtain either men or animals; but, although
useless fellows for any assistance in camp, they were excellent for
looking after the horses and mules, all of which require strict
attention.
We had only four men, all told--my hunter Jem Bourne, the cook Henry (a
German), Texas Bill, who was a splendid young fellow, and Gaylord.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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