20 WILD SHEEP. 



when danger presses will he step up and take the lead. This is also 

 the case with antelopes and some deer. 



The speed and agility of these sheep is remarkable. They will 

 travel over the roughest country, down almost perpendicular cliffs, 

 leaping from crag- to crag as easily as a pony gallops down the last 

 quarter in the trials. 



Though their hearing and sense of smell are highly developed, they 

 are chiefly remarkable for their keen sight, to which they trust more 

 than to anything else. Thus in stalking them, though it is well to keep 

 to lee-ward and to move as silently as possible, it is much more 

 important to keep out of sight,. ' ;, 



The flesh of this animal is excellent, especially that on the ribs 

 and hind quarters. Naturally the flesh of the ewes is more tender 

 and sweet than that of the rams. The skin is used in making leather 

 and rugs, being worth Tls. 2.00 a piece. 



My first experience of this splendid animal was in the spring of 

 1912, when with three European companions I visited the mountains 

 round Kuei-hua-ch'eng. Two of my companions had already visited 

 the district and had secured some nice trophies. Leaving the town 

 we struck into the mountains and pitched camp about five miles up a 

 deep and rocky ravine, down which flowed a clear stream, and where 

 we were fairly well sheltered from t'hte terrible storms that rage through 

 those mountains at that time of year. 



From here we hunted in every direction. Usually we split up 

 into two parties, each taking a native hunter along. In this way we 

 covered a good deal of country, but were not very successful. The 

 season was a bit late, and though we saw plenty of big rams they 

 were very wild. Only two of us succeeded in getting good heads and 

 we finally gave up hunting, and moved off to new grounds in an attempt 

 to get other game. 



My second visit to this district took place in the winter of 1913, 

 and from a hunter's point of view was much more successful and 

 enjoyable. This time Captain T. Holcomb of the U. S. Marines 

 accompanied me, and we had some really fine sport. 



The weather being too cold for tents, we found lodgings at a 

 little hamlet situated at the base of the mountains, in the mouth 

 of one of the long valleys leading right into the heart of the sheep 

 country. In this way we had the choice of two routes into the 

 hunting grounds, one, a stiff climb up the two thousand foot ascent 

 ais the back of our hamlet, the other a ten mile tramp up the rocky 

 valley with its half frozen stream. In any case several stiff climbs 



