bterranean
caverns, until it at length escapes through secret channels, and
reappears on the opposite side of its prison-walls; lashing itself into
foam in its mad frenzy, it forms rapids of giddy velocity through the
rocky bounds; now flying through a narrowed gorge, and leaping,
striving and wrestling with unnumbered obstructions, it at length meets
with the mighty fall, like death in a madman's course. One plunge!
without a single shelf to break the fall, and down, down it sheets; at
first like glass, then like the broken avalanche of snow, and
lastly!--we cannot see more--the mist boils from the ruin of shattered
waters and conceals the bottom of the fall. The roar vibrates like
thunder in the rocky mountain, and forces the grandeur of the scene
through every nerve.

No animal or man, once in those mysterious pools, could ever escape
without assistance. Thus in years post, when elk were not followed up
in this locality, the poor beast, being hard pressed by the hounds,
might have come to bay in one of these fatal basins, in which case,
both he and every bound who entered the trap found sure destruction.

The hard work and the danger to both man and bound in this country may
be easily imagined when it is explained that the nature of the elk
prompts him to seek for water as his place of refuge when hunted; thus
he makes off down the mountain for the river, in which he stands at
bay. Now the mountain itself is steep enough, but within a short
distance of the bottom the river is in many places guarded by
precipices of several hundred feet in depth. A few difficult passes
alone give access to the torrent, but the descent requires great
caution.

Altogether, this forms the wildest and most arduous country that can be
imagined for hunting, but it abounds with elk.

The morning was barely gray when I woke up the servants and ordered
coffee, and made the usual preparations for a start. At last, thank
goodness! the boots are laced! This is the troublesome part of dressing
before broad daylight, and nevertheless laced ankle-boots must be worn
as a protection against sprains and bruises in such a country. Never
mind the trouble of lacing them; they, are on now, and there is a good
day's work in store for them.

It was the 30th May, 1853, a lovely hunting morning and a fine dew on
the patinas; rather too windy, but that could not be helped.

Quiet now!--down, Bluebeard!--back, will you, Lucifer! Here's a smash!
th