THE MOUNTAIN GOAT AS WE SAW HIM 125 



attention to us. We talked to him, and tried to attract 

 his attention, but he would not even look at us. He had 

 the most beautiful set of whiskers that I ever saw on a 

 goat, and as the wind blew through them they waved in 

 the breeze. Evidently, the old fellow could see the 

 bear, — below him, and in front. He moved his head in 

 various directions, peering about, twisting his head and 

 squinting like a near-sighted man at a variety show. 

 Four other goats had taken to the high rocks on account 

 of that same bear." 



Mr. Phillips has seen goats climb, without being 

 frightened, to the very summits of lofty peaks, and far 

 above their food supply, apparently for amusement only. 

 He has also seen flocks of goats lie on solitary patches of 

 snow in preference to bare earth and rocks. 



Among hunters and guides who live in the mountain 

 goat's country, it is a common belief that goats (like 

 men) sometimes lose their lives through going upon pre- 

 cipitous ledges from which they cannot escape. It is 

 difficult to understand how a goat can reach a point on 

 the face of a cliff without carefully climbing to it, either 

 up or down, or how it can become impossible for him 

 to retrace his steps. That such things are possible, how- 

 ever, is proven by a tragedy actually witnessed by Mr. 

 James Brewster, of Banff. 



Mr. Brewster relates that quite recently, while out 

 with a hunting-party in the mountains north-west of 

 Banff, they climbed to the top of a rugged mountain, 

 and chased a band of goats around its summit. The 

 goats went down over the edge of a rock wall which 



