126 The Wilderness Httnter, 



In any event the hard work is to get up to the grounds 

 where the game is found. Once the animals are spied 

 there is but Httle call for the craft of the still-hunter in 

 approaching them. Of all American game the white goat 

 is the least wary and most stupid. In places where it is 

 much hunted it of course gradually grows wilder and 

 becomes difficult to approach and kill ; and much of its 

 silly tameness is doubtless due to the inaccessible nature 

 of its haunts, which renders it ordinarily free from molesta- 

 tion ; but aside from this it certainly seems as if it was 

 naturally less wary than either deer or mountain sheep. 

 The great point is to get above it. All its foes liv^e in the 

 valleys, and while it is in the mountains, if they strive to 

 approach it at all, they must do so from below. It is in 

 consequence always on the watch for danger from beneath ; 

 but it is easily approached from above, and then, as it 

 generally tries to escape by running up hill, the hunter is 

 very apt to get a shot. 



Its chase is thus laborious rather than exciting ; and to 

 my mind it is less attractive than is the pursuit of most of 

 our other game. Yet it has an attraction of its own after 

 all ; while the grandeur of the scenery amid which it must 

 be carried on, the freedom and hardihood of the life and 

 the pleasure of watching the queer habits "of the game, all 

 combine to add to the hunter's enjoyment. 



White goats are self-confident, pugnacious beings. An 

 old billy, if he discovers the presence of a foe without being 

 quite sure what it is, often refuses to take flight, but 

 walks around, stamping, and shaking his head. The 

 needle-pointed black horns are alike in both sexes, save 



