CHAPTER IX. 



The First Big- Horn How his Skin and Bones were Prepared 

 Habits of the Rocky Mountain Sheep. 



YCHE'S disappointment did not prevent 

 an early start next morning, and it was 

 still early when he reached the spot 

 where the bucks had deceived him. 

 After climbing over the mountains for some time he 

 reached a semicircular ridge, opening to the south, 

 through the centre of which ran an intersecting ridge, 

 terminating in a jutting crag of bare rocks. The top 

 of this ridge was bare and rocky, while short and 

 thick bunch-grass grew on the sides of the slopes 

 leading down to the central amphitheatre, towards 

 the woods. From the dense growth of timber to the 

 south of this horseshoe-shaped inclosure there was 

 a gravelly hill leading towards the central ridge which 

 divided the amphitheatre into two parks. The three 

 jutting spurs at the ends of the side and central crags 

 were a quarter of a mile apart, while from the central 

 crag to the back of the ridge it was fully half a mile. 

 Dyche had worked his way up the mountain and 

 it was noon when he reached the top of the ridge. 

 Crawling carefully to the top, he examined the coun- 

 try thoroughly before showing himself. As nothing 

 living was visible, he crossed the ridge and sat down 



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