Page:A La California.djvu/182

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146
TAMALPAIS.

that grizzly bears were numerous there years ago, and as one was never known to die of his own volition and none were known to have ever been killed there, it was a fair inference that they were there still. Were we not all mighty hunters, and was not that a field in which to display talents and accomplishments such as ours ? The only reflection in connection with our projected trip, which gave us uneasiness, was as to its probable effect on the game market,—a fall in prices which would inevitably ruin all the pothunters in the State and all the wholesale game-dealers in San Francisco being looked upon as a foregone conclusion. We were duly sorry for it, but how could we help it?

The Doctor is an ambitious and sanguinary man, his professional experience having given him a taste for blood; and he went in for big game. I don't think he would have discounted the proceeds of that foray at anything less than a grizzly, a pair of California lions, half a dozen wild-cats, and a wagon load of deer ; and I know that he had hopes of hare and small game almost without limit. He was armed with a Henry rifle, five hundred rounds of cartridges, and a butcher-knife with a blade sixteen inches in length. Lloyd took a No. 8 stub and twist double-barrelled gun,—which by rights should have been mounted on a swivel in a boat, or on a raft,—two hundred and fifty Ely's wire cartridges, a bag of B B shot, half a keg of powder,—he hesitated a long time as to whether he should fill up the keg, but finally concluded that in case he run out he could buy more at San Rafael,—and an army size Colt's