American Big-Game Hunting 



on top of him, and they would both break 

 through. However, they had to go ahead in 

 spite of themselves, and they were finally 

 landed half-drowned and smothered on dry 

 ground. Of course, profiting by this expe- 

 rience, I circumnavigated the drift, and we 

 sat down to our dry bread and bacon, washed 

 down by a long pull from the handy snow- 

 water. Ten minutes and a pipe was all that 

 we allowed ourselves before resuming our 

 toil — for that is really the way to designate 

 the ascent of these mountains. 



We saw six fine rams which did not seem to 

 regard us with any uneasiness, permitting us 

 to get within murderous distance, and I 

 looked at their leader with some longing. 

 He had such a noble head of curling, grace- 

 ful, well-rounded horns. He must have been 

 a powerful adversary when it came to but- 

 ting. Stifling the desire, I passed by without 

 disturbing them, and at last reached the top 

 of the divide, and was repaid by a glorious 

 and most extended view. 



At that time Nature was not in her most 

 smiling garb. It had been steadily growing 

 colder, ominous clouds were gathering in the 



