92 A SPORTSMAN'S EDEN. 



of an American alarum. Down below the knoll 

 on which our tents stood ran a tiny brook, from 

 which we drew our water-supplies ; and on the 

 far side of it was a great grassy bluff, running up 

 to the volcano, along the sharp edge of which we 

 often saw, in the early gray of morning, deer and 

 sheep outlined against the sky. Down the stream 

 on either side were patches of pine-trees and a 

 little dead forest full of fallen timber, which 

 seemed the most favoured haunt of mule-deer in 

 the whole neighbourhood. In camp were strewn 

 on the ground or hung on the trees half a dozen 

 noble rams' heads, decayed and weather-beaten, 

 but suggestive trophies, nevertheless, of the sport 

 the redskins had enjoyed last fall. All round and 

 below us were great rolling yellow sheep-downs, 

 cut up by gullies and canons, but covered every- 

 where with beautiful sun-dried hay. 



These downs stretched right up to the foot of 

 the bare crags which formed the crest of the 

 ridge, ran out in some directions in a succession 

 of benches until they rolled right down to the 

 river below, but, on the other side, came to an 

 abrupt end at the edge of steep and precipitous 

 black rocks, sparsely covered with sweet-smelling 

 juniper-bushes, and here and there in less steep 

 places with larger trees. The favourite haunt of 

 the sheep seemed to be on the very edge of these 



