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v* 7
T
DEVOTED TO
VOL. VII.
THE INTERESTS OF THE UNIVERSITY
GE
1RGIA.
ATHENS, GA., SATURDAY NOV. 19, 1887.
A WIN TEH IN THE ROOKIES.
Early in the morning we loaded
our luggage on the little steamer U.
■ s . Grant, that piys up and down the
lake, to carry the necessaries of life
to the scattered ranchmen that
dwell in the fertile valley of the
great Flathead River. The moun
tains were on fire, and the stroke had
descended into the valley and set
tied over the lake, making it impos
sible to distinguish objects more
than a few hundred feet ahead.—
The forest fires are caused by the
Indians, who adopt this manner of
trimming out the underbrush, so
that hunting will not be so difficult.
This lake being situated between
the two divisions of the Rocky
Mountains, the Rocky Mountains
proper and the Bitter Root Moun
tains, allows the Chinook winds
from the Pacific to sweep through
valley with terrific force, lashing the
lake into.waves of such dimensions
that it i« 5 fio?%afe for even the steam
boat to encounter them. Fortunate
ly the day was calm, and the voyage
was made without accident, and
with only one interruption.
About ten miles out we discovered
an object in the water which we
made out by the aid of a field glass,
to be a bear. The boat was headed
towards him, and we all eagerly
grasped our guns. The animal soon
discovered us, and began making
frantic efforts to escape, whining
plaintively, but the race was soon
decided. When within about 30
feet of the bear, finding that he
could not escape by flight, and
doubtless exhausted by his long
swim in' the ice cold water, turned
at bay. As he did so a rifle was fired
at him by some one on the boat, and
he disappeared. We naturally sup
posed that he had been killed, and
that he would re appear in a few
moments ; but after waiting some
while we gave it up and headed on
our way. We supposed that the
bear dived, and as the smoke ob
soured objects unless close by, we
were unable to see him. We had
the consolation of knowing that he
would remember us for some time
to come.
A few miles further on we passed
a large island, almost in the middle
of the lake, that is known as “Wild
Horse Island.” It derives this name
because a few wild horses are found
upon it.
knows, as
from the
inhabited
low they got there no one
lie island is eight miles
arest shore. It is also
y other animals, bears,
deer, moui tain lions, elk &c„ being
found in limited number. We
passed w thin a few rods of tbe
shore, and it was our good fortune
to see a bard of elks that had come
down to the water’s edge to drink.
There werp four in the band, two
large onesiand two calves, a family
probably. It was a noble sight to
see the great bull elk, as with head
erect, his nostrils high iu air, and
Ids huge horns towering over him,
“he sniffed the tainted gale,” with
scorn and distrust of the approach
ing foes. We had now come in
range, aud jwe fired a volley at him.
At the report! the cow elk and her
little ones hurried up the bank aud
out of sight;; but the great bull was
made of sterber stuff. He retreated
it is true, but slowly and iu good
:, v .. 'I 1 ** -iiw.i turning on US
as though he longed for the fight.
Struck with admiration of his noble
behavior, we suffered him to depart
unhurt and without further molesta
tion. The elk is the noblest animal
that roams these northern mountains
often attaining to the weight of five
hundred pounds. I have seen then-
horns that measured seven feet in
length. To see a band of these huge
creatures stretched out in full flight
with their great antlers high in air,
is a sight that thrills a true sports
man’s breast with anticipation and
delight; or better still, to come upon
them unperceived, when they are
feeding on the lichens that cliug to
the rocks, aud watch them in their
wild gambols.
At head of the Lake where the
Flathead river enters into it, we
found some Kootenai Indians fishing
for trout. They had their little
birch bark canoe almost filled with
the speckled beauties that they had
taken. I had often read of the ex
pert manner in which the Indians
handle these canoes, and had sup
posed that these accounts wereover
drawn, but not so. I found that the
half had not been written. In their
little canoes, weighing not over
twenty pounds, they dart here and
there, more like swallows on the
wing than anything else I can com
pare them to; riding the roughest
waves with ease and safety, where a
less expert person would be certain
to be swamped. These canoes are
very easily overturned by a “tender
foot,” as I found out to my cost, the
greatest care being necessary to
maintain your equilibrium. Our
trip exteuded for twenty miles up
Flathead river, when, coming upon
a broad plateau that fronted upon
the river, we pitched our camp, and
began preparing for our work.
It would not be of interest to de
scribe the six months that we were
engaged in surveying, as we had no
time to organize huntiog or explor
ing parties, except Sundays, aud it
was out of the question to think of
hunting on the Sabbath. There is
one incident that occurred that is
worth relating. We had been en
gaged in our work all the forenoon,
and as we were in the high moun
tains, we became very much fatigued
and thirsty. We had all stopped to
rest, and were reclining on the slope
of a timbered ridge, where, several \
hundred feet below us, in the gulch,
we could see a fringe of bushy
cottonwood trees. Tnese trees are
I
generally found on the edge ofj
streams of water, and two of us cle j
cidecl that we would go down and j
see if we could get the water that
we were so much in need of. Ac
cordingly, we commenced our de
scent, and reached the bottom of the
hill in safety, and approached the
cottonwoods. To our delight, we
found a crystal stream of water, and
eagerly threw ourselves prone on
the bank to slake our thirst; but our
joy was shortlived, for the water j
was strongly impregnated withal-;
kali, which renders it unfit for
drinking. As we were about to start
back up the hill, we heard an old
pheasant in the brush near us chat
tering aud going on iu a furious
manner. Our curiositj'aroused we
turned to investigate. We had gone
but a few feet, when we heard a
mew, mew! that sounded like a
bouse cat’s call. The idea struck
us at once that a cat had wandered
awa}- from some of the ranchmen,
and was after the pheasant and her
brood. Acting on the impulse ( f
the moment, we called out, “ kitty,
kitty!” and stepped info a little
opening in the bushes; and there,
not twenty feet from us, stood, not a
house cat, but a cat of quite another
description—a mountain lion—with
a pheasant under his paw.
At sight of us, he raised his great
NO. 6
head aud growled menacingly—bis
eyes looked like two huge balls of
lire as he riveted his gaze upon us.
I now realized the power that these
animals have to charm birds. I re
alized my danger and wanted to
(leave, and that badlj’ ; but at the
same time there was something that
ittracted and held me there. But
[the spell was soon broken, for with
li.wild scream he launched himself
(straight at us, As he made the leap
vo recovered the use of legs, but
before we could move he lit between
is, not three feet from either. With
jf.yell that almost equalled his, we
Lftok to our heels, my partner taking
he way and I the other. As I ran
looked back and saw that the
bl ast was after Jack. I saw him
make another leap, aud again jump
fhort, and this was all I did see, for
l| : suddenly occurred to me that I
las needed at the top of the hill,
Aid'so I went. Arrived at the top,
i Wrrfrthmy story, and those that had
glinsl started to the rescue, but on
tbe v ay they met Jack, breathless
and almost frightened to death.—
The lion had made several springs
at him,but each time he had dodged
him, until he had finally given it up.
So far so good, but we unanimously
resolved that the next time we heard
a cat in the mountains, he could go
to the . “Tinch.”
The class of ’88 will hold their
Class Tree Exercises on next Wed
nesday evening at 4 o’clock. The
singing will be conducted by Mr.
James C. Mell, who has been ap
pointed leader. Miss Ellen Mell has
kindly offered her services in teach
ing the class how to sing the song,
and the Reporter returns thanks to
her in behalf of the Senior Class.—
Let every friend of the University
bo present at the exercises. All are
cordially invited to attend.
In giving the list of newspaper
correspondents in the University in
our last, we neglected to state that
Mr. B. S. Miller will represent the
Columbus Enquirer-Sun here durin"
O
the current year. Mr. John W.
Daniel keeps the Augusta Gazette
posted as to tennis clubs and other
matters. A correspondent signing
himself “Nap” has quite a long
communication in the Constitution
a few days ago. The nom de plume
is quite suggestive.