American Big Game in its Haunts 



a narrow valley walled in on both sides by vertical 

 cliffs and at its head by a rock wall which was 

 partly broken down, and through which we hoped 

 to find a way into the next valley to the northward. 

 As we rode along, a mile or more from the cliff 

 at the valley's head, I saw one or two sheep pass- 

 ing over it, and a few minutes later was electrified 

 by hearing my companion say: "Oh, look at the 

 sheep ! Look at the sheep ! Look at the sheep !" 

 And there, charging down the valley directly to- 

 ward us, came a bunch of thirty or forty sheep In 

 a close body, running as if something very terrify- 

 ing were close behind them, and paying not the 

 slightest attention to the two horsemen before 

 them. I rolled off my horse and loaded my gun. 

 The sheep came within twenty-five or thirty steps 

 and a little to one side, and passed us like the wind, 

 but they left behind one of their number, which 

 kept us in fresh meat for several days thereafter. 

 The first shot I fired at this band gave me a sur- 

 prise. I drew my sight fine on the point of the 

 breast of the leading animal and pulled the trig- 

 ger, but instead of the explosion which should 

 have followed I heard the hammer fall on the 

 firing-pin. There was a slow hissing sound, a little 

 puff at the muzzle of the rifle, and I distinctly 

 heard the leaden ball fall to the ground just in 



304 



