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
It was a strange study of the Far West in these outlandish and utterly
uninhabited districts. When looking down from the summit of the
mountains, facing north, we were positively certain that for more than
100 miles in a direct line there was not a human habitation, and the
nearest point of embryo civilisation was the Government Park on the
Yellowstone river, at least 150 miles distant. In our rear we were 80
miles from the abandoned station of Powder River, with only two ranches
in the interval. It may be readily imagined that the laws of civilised
communities were difficult to administer in such a wilderness.
The nearest railway station was "Rock Creek," about 240 miles, upon the
Union Pacific, from whence we had originally started; that point is
about 7000 feet above the sea-level. A curious contrivance, slung upon
leather straps instead of springs, represents a coach, which, drawn by
four horses, plies to Fort Fetterman, 90 miles distant. During this
prairie journey the horses are only changed twice.
There are no dwellings to be seen throughout the undulating mass of wild
grass; this possesses extraordinary properties for fattening cattle, and
wild animals; but after a weary drive along a track worn by wheels and
other traffic, and occasionally well defined by empty tins that had
contained preserved provisions, a small speck is seen upon the horizon,
which is declared to be the station for spare horses.
Upon arrival at this cheerless abode we entered a small log-house,
containing two rooms and a kitchen; but the cooking was conducted in the
public room, an apartment about 13 feet square, with a useful kind of
stove in one corner. The man who represented the establishment had of
course observed the coach in the far distance, therefore he was not
startled by the arrival of our party, which consisted of the Hon.
Charles Ellis, Lady Baker, and myself. He had already begun to fry bacon
in a huge frying-pan upon the little stove, and he had opened some large
tins of preserved vegetables, in addition to another containing some
kind of animal hardly to be distinguished. He had been successful that
morning, having killed an antelope; therefore we had quite an
entertainment in this log-hut, so far away from the great world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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