132 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



along slowly, watching far in front and looking for 

 any possible movement that would indicate a sheep. 

 Each rocky crag as it came into view was carefully 

 scanned with the expectation of seeing a ram on the 

 alert. In a grassy cove on the side of the moun- 

 tain unmistakable signs of sheep were seen. He 

 passed on, looking carefully in every direction, keep- 

 ing near the top of the ridge. Finally he retraced his 

 steps to the cove and made another inspection. It 

 was one of the places which had been pointed out by 

 the skin -hunters as "a likely place for a few old 

 rams," and the hunter was loth to leave it. While 

 moving along near the crest of the ridge, Dyche heard 

 the sound of a stone rolling down the mountain on 

 the opposite side of the hill. 



The sound could only be made by some animal 

 walking among the loose rocks, and in an instant the 

 hunter's heart was leaping madly at the thought of 

 his nearness to the "big-horn." The wind was in 

 his favour, and as the sound continued he felt sure 

 that his presence had not been noted by the animal. 

 Removing his shoes, he crawled towards the top of 

 the ridge as carefully as a cat crawls upon its prey. 

 The movements of the animals became plainer with 

 each foot that he advanced. Just as he reached the 

 crest, he stopped for breath and looked to see that his 

 gun was all right. Again the animals moved. They 

 now seemed to be only a few feet away. Slowly he 

 crawled a few feet farther and rested. Now he be- 

 gan a snake-like movement at almost snail's pace 

 towards the crest. A few feet more and yet they 

 were not in sight. Another move and he was be- 



