Page:Cathlamet On the Columbia.djvu/49

 and the hunter generally followed in the exact trail of the animal.

At the beginning of a chase an Indian hunter like Wholiky or Indian Dick would often venture a prediction as to where the chase would end. "We catch him on Rocky Hill little way over there," or "on little creek," or elsewhere, and usually there was where he was found.

On ordinary ground the track could be readily followed and on hard rocky soil there was always enough dust or vegetation to retain some trace of the passage of so heavy an animal as a deer, elk or bear; a dislodged pebble, a turned leaf or a crushed blade of grass was enough. The marvelous thing about it was the quickness and accuracy with which these slight signs would be seen and interpreted. A white hunter following his Indian friend had plenty of time