ThefirsttwoorthreebucksIeversawgavemebuckfeverbadly，butafterIhadgainedexperiencewithordinarygameIneverhadbuckfeveratallwithdangerousgame。Inmycasetheovercomingofbuckfeverwastheresultofconsciouseffortandadeliberatedeterminationtoovercomeit。Morehappilyconstitutedmenneverhavetomakethisdeterminedeffortatall——whichmayperhapsshowthattheaveragemancanprofitmorefrommyexperiencesthanhecanfromthoseoftheexceptionalman。
Ihaveshotonlyfivekindsofanimalswhichcanfairlybecalleddangerousgame——thatis，thelion，elephant，rhinoceros，andbuffaloinAfrica，andthebiggrizzlybearaquarterofacenturyagointheRockies。Takingintoaccountnotonlymyownpersonalexperience，buttheexperiencesofmanyveteranhunters，IregardallthefourAfricananimals，butespeciallythelion，elephant，andbuffalo，asmuchmoredangerousthanthegrizzly。Asithappened，however，theonlynarrowescapeIpersonallyeverhadwasfromagrizzly，andinAfricatheanimalkilledclosesttomeasitwaschargingwasarhinoceros——allofwhichgoestoshowthatamanmustnotgeneralizetoobroadlyfromhisownpersonalexperiences。Onthewhole，Ithinkthelionthemostdangerousofallthesefiveanimals；thatis，Ithinkthat，iffairlyhunted，thereisalargerpercentageofhunterskilledormauledforagivennumberoflionskilledthanforagivennumberofanyoneoftheotheranimals。YetIpersonallyhadnodifficultieswithlions。I
twicekilledlionswhichwereatbayandjuststartingtocharge，andIkilledaheavy-manedmalewhileitwasinfullcharge。ButineachinstanceIhadplentyofleeway，theanimalbeingsofaroffthatevenifmybullethadnotbeenfatalIshouldhavehadtimeforacouplemoreshots。TheAfricanbuffaloisundoubtedlyadangerousbeast，butithappenedthatthefewthatIshotdidnotcharge。Abullelephant，avicious“rogue。”whichhadbeenkillingpeopleinthenativevillages，didchargebeforebeingshotat。MysonKermitandIstoppeditatfortyyards。Anotherbullelephant，alsounwounded，whichcharged，nearlygotme，asIhadjustfiredbothcartridgesfrommyheavydouble-barreledrifleinkillingthebullIwasafter——thefirstwildelephantIhadeverseen。Thesecondbullcamethroughthethickbrushtomyleftlikeasteamplowthroughalightsnowdrift，everythingsnappingbeforehisrush，andwassonearthathecouldhavehitmewithhistrunk。Islippedpasthimbehindatree。PeoplehaveaskedmehowIfeltonthisoccasion。MyanswerhasalwaysbeenthatIsupposeIfeltasmostmenoflikeexperiencefeelonsuchoccasions。Atsuchamomentahunterissoverybusythathehasnotimetogetfrightened。Hewantstogetinhiscartridgesandtryanothershot。
Rhinocerosaretruculent，blusteringbeasts，muchthemoststupidofallthedangerousgameIknow。Generallytheirattitudeisoneofmerestupidityandbluff。Butonoccasionstheydochargewickedly，bothwhenwoundedandwhenentirelyunprovoked。ThefirstIevershotI
mortallywoundedatafewrods’distance，anditchargedwiththeutmostdetermination，whereatIandmycompanionbothfired，andmorebygoodluckthananythingelsebroughtittothegroundjustthirteenpacesfromwherewestood。Anotherrhinocerosmayormaynothavebeenmeaningtochargeme；Ihaveneverbeencertainwhich。Itheardusandcameatusthroughratherthickbrush，snortingandtossingitshead。
Iambynomeanssurethatithadfixedlyhostileintentions，andindeedwithmypresentexperienceIthinkitlikelythatifIhadnotfireditwouldhaveflinchedatthelastmomentandeitherretreatedorgonebyme。ButIamnotarhinocerosmindreader，anditsactionsweresuchastowarrantmyregardingitasasuspiciouscharacter。I
stoppeditwithacoupleofbullets，andthenfolloweditupandkilledit。TheskinsofalltheseanimalswhichIthuskilledareintheNationalMuseumatWashington。
But，asIsaidabove，theonlynarrowescapeImetwithwasnotfromoneofthesedangerousAfricananimals，butfromagrizzlybear。Itwasabouttwenty-fouryearsago。Ihadwoundedthebearjustatsunset，inawoodoflodge-polepines，and，followinghim，Iwoundedhimagain，ashestoodontheothersideofathicket。Hethenchargedthroughthebrush，comingwithsuchspeedandwithsuchanirregulargaitthat，tryasIwould，Iwasnotabletogetthesightofmyrifleonthebrain-pan，thoughIhithimveryhardwithboththeremainingbarrelsofmymagazineWinchester。Itwasinthedaysofblackpowder，andthesmokehung。Aftermylastshot，thefirstthingIsawwasthebear’sleftpawashestruckatme，soclosethatImadeaquickmovementtooneside。Hewas，however，practicallyalreadydead，andafteranotherjump，andwhileintheveryactoftryingtoturntocomeatme，hecollapsedlikeashotrabbit。
Bytheway，Ihadamostexasperatingtimetryingtobringinhisskin。Iwasalone，travelingonfootwithoneverydocilelittlemountainmareforapackpony。Thelittlemarecarednothingforbearsoranythingelse，sotherewasnodifficultyinpackingher。Butthemanwithoutexperiencecanhardlyrealizetheworkitwastogetthatbearskinoffthecarcassandthentopackit，wet，slippery，andheavy，sothatitwouldrideevenlyonthepony。Iwasatthetimefairlywellversedinpackingwitha“diamondhitch。”thestandbyofRockyMountainpackersinmyday；butthediamondhitchisatwo-manjob；andevenworkingwitha“squawhitch。”Igotintoendlesstroublewiththatwetandslipperybearskin。WithinfinitelaborIwouldgettheskinontheponyandruntheropesoverituntiltoallseemingitwasfastenedproperly。Thenoffwewouldstart，andaftergoingaboutahundredyardsIwouldnoticethehidebeginningtobulgethroughbetweentworopes。Iwouldshiftoneofthem，andthenthehidewouldbulgesomewhereelse。Iwouldshifttheropeagain；andstillthehidewouldflowslowlyoutasifitwaslava。ThefirstthingIknewitwouldcomedownononeside，andthelittlemare，withherfeetplantedresolutely，wouldwaitformetoperformmypartbygettingthatbearskinbackinitsproperplaceontheMcClellansaddlewhichI
wasusingasamakeshiftpacksaddle。Thefeatofkillingthebearthepreviousdaysankintonothingcomparedwiththefeatofmakingthebearskinrideproperlyasapackonthefollowingthreedays。
ThereasonwhyIwasaloneinthemountainsonthisoccasionwasbecause，fortheonlytimeinallmyexperience，Ihadadifficultywithmyguide。Hewasacrippledoldmountainman，withaprofoundcontemptfor“tenderfeet。”acontemptthatinmycasewasaccentuatedbythefactthatIworespectacles——whichatthatdayandinthatregionwereusuallyheldtoindicateadefectivemoralcharacterinthewearer。Hehadneverpreviouslyactedasguide，or，asheexpressedit，“trundledatenderfoot。”andthoughagoodhunter，whoshowedmemuchgame，ourexperiencetogetherwasnothappy。Hewasveryrheumaticandlikedtolieabedlate，sothatIusuallyhadtogetbreakfast，and，infact，domostoftheworkaroundcamp。Finallyonedayhedeclinedtogooutwithme，sayingthathehadapain。
When，thatafternoon，Igotbacktocamp，Ispeedilyfoundwhatthe“pain“was。Weweretravelingverylightindeed，Ihavingpracticallynothingbutmybuffalosleeping-bag，mywashkit，andapairofsocks。
Ihadalsotakenaflaskofwhiskyforemergencies——although，asI
foundthattheemergenciesneveraroseandthatteawasbetterthanwhiskywhenamanwascoldordoneout，Iabandonedthepracticeoftakingwhiskyonhuntingtripstwentyyearsago。WhenIgotbacktocamptheoldfellowwassittingonatree-trunk，veryerect，withhisrifleacrosshisknees，andinresponsetomynodofgreetinghemerelyleeredatme。Ileanedmyrifleagainstatree，walkedovertowheremybedwaslying，and，happeningtorummageinitforsomething，Ifoundthewhiskyflaskwasempty。Iturnedonhimatonceandaccusedhimofhavingdrunkit，towhichhemerelyrespondedbyaskingwhatIwasgoingtodoaboutit。Theredidnotseemmuchtodo，soI
saidthatwewouldpartcompany——wewereonlyfourorfivedaysfromasettlement——andIwouldgoinalone，takingoneofthehorses。HerespondedbycockinghisrifleandsayingthatIcouldgoaloneandbedamnedtome，butIcouldnottakeanyhorse。Ianswered“allright。”
thatifIcouldnotIcouldnot，andbegantomovearoundtogetsomeflourandsaltpork。HewasmisledbymyquietnessandbythefactthatIhadnotinanywayresentedeitherhisactionsorhislanguageduringthedayswehadbeentogether，anddidnotwatchmeascloselyasheoughttohavedone。Hewassittingwiththecockedrifleacrosshisknees，themuzzletotheleft。Myriflewasleaningagainstatreenearthecookingthingstohisright。Managingtogetnearit，I
whippeditupandthrewthebeadonhim，calling，“Handsup！”Heofcourseputuphishands，andthensaid，“Oh，come，Iwasonlyjoking“；
towhichIanswered，“Well，Iamnot。Nowstraightenyourlegsandletyourriflegototheground。”Heremonstrated，sayingtheriflewouldgooff，andItoldhimtoletitgooff。However，hestraightenedhislegsinsuchfashionthatitcametothegroundwithoutajar。Ithenmadehimmoveback，andpickeduptherifle。Bythistimehewasquitesober，andreallydidnotseemangry，lookingatmequizzically。HetoldmethatifIwouldgivehimbackhisrifle，hewouldcallitquitsandwecouldgoontogether。Ididnotthinkitbesttotrusthim，soItoldhimthatourhuntwasprettywellthrough，anyway，andthatIwouldgohome。Therewasablastedpineonthetrail，inplainviewofthecamp，aboutamileoff，andItoldhimthatIwouldleavehisrifleatthatblastedpineifIcouldseehimincamp，butthathemustnotcomeafterme，forifhedidIshouldassumethatitwaswithhostileintentandwouldshoot。Hesaidhehadnointentionofcomingafterme；andashewasverymuchcrippledwithrheumatism，Ididnotbelievehewoulddoso。
AccordinglyItookthelittlemare，withnothingbutsomeflour，bacon，andtea，andmybed-roll，andstartedoff。AttheblastedpineIlookedround，andasIcouldseehimincamp，Ilefthisriflethere。Ithentraveledtilldark，andthatnight，fortheonlytimeinmyexperience，Iusedincampingatrickoftheold-timetrappersintheIndiandays。IdidnotbelieveIwouldbefollowed，butstillitwasnotpossibletobesure，so，aftergettingsupper，whilemyponyfedround，Ileftthefireburning，repackedthemareandpushedaheaduntilitliterallybecamesodarkthatIcouldnotsee。ThenI
picketedthemare，sleptwhereIwaswithoutafireuntilthefirststreakofdawn，andthenpushedonforacoupleofhoursbeforehaltingtotakebreakfastandtoletthelittlemarehaveagoodfeed。
Noplainsmanneedstobetoldthatamanshouldnotlienearafireifthereisdangerofanenemycreepinguponhim，andthataboveallamanshouldnotputhimselfinapositionwherehecanbeambushedatdawn。OnthisseconddayIlostthetrail，andtowardnightfallgaveuptheefforttofindit，campedwhereIwas，andwentouttoshootagrouseforsupper。ItwaswhilehuntinginvainforagrousethatI
cameonthebearandkilleditasabovedescribed。
WhenIreachedthesettlementandwentintothestore，thestorekeeperidentifiedmebyremarking：“You’rethetenderfootthatoldHankwastrundling，ain’tyou？”IadmittedthatIwas。Agoodmanyyearslater，afterIhadbeenelectedVice-President，IwentonacougarhuntinnorthwesternColoradowithJohnnyGoff，afamoushunterandmountainman。Itwasmidwinter。Iwasratherproudofmyachievements，andpicturedmyselfasbeingknowntothefewsettlersintheneighborhoodasasuccessfulmountain-lionhunter。IcouldnothelpgrinningwhenI
foundoutthattheydidnotevenalludetomeastheVice-President-
elect，letaloneasahunter，butmerelyas“JohnnyGoff’stourist。”
OfcourseduringtheyearswhenIwasmostbusyatseriousworkI
coulddonohunting，andevenmyridingwasofadecorouskind。Butamanwhosebusinessissedentaryshouldgetsomekindofexerciseifhewishestokeephimselfinasgoodphysicaltrimashisbrethrenwhodomanuallabor。WhenIworkedonaranch，Ineedednoformofexerciseexceptmywork，butwhenIworkedinanofficethecasewasdifferent。
AcoupleofsummersIplayedpolowithsomeofmyneighbors。Ishallalwaysbelieveweplayedpoloinjusttherightwayformiddle-agedmenwithstablesofthegeneralutilityorder。Ofcourseitwaspolowhichwaschieflyofinteresttoourselves，theonlyonlookersbeingthemembersofourfaithfulfamilies。Mytwoponiesweretheonlyoccupantsofmystableexceptacart-horse。MywifeandIrodeanddrovethem，andtheywereusedforhouseholderrandsandforthechildren，andfortwoafternoonsaweektheyservedmeaspoloponies。
Poloisagoodgame，infinitelybetterforvigorousmenthantennisorgolforanythingofthatkind。Thereisallthefunoffootball，withthehorsethrownin；andifonlypeoplewouldbewillingtoplayitinsimplefashionitwouldbealmostasmuchwithintheirreachasgolf。
ButatOysterBayourgreatandpermanentamusementswererowingandsailing；Idonotcareforthelatter，andamfondoftheformer。I
