154 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



sheep, and then it was decided to go farther north to 

 another range, where possibly the ewes and lambs 

 could be found. The specimens were cached, and 

 the hunters started through deep canons and over 

 rocky crags, going two days in this way until they 

 reached the wildest country they had yet seen. Dur- 

 ing the day Dyche's watch stopped, and in order to 

 get the time two strings were hung in line with the 

 north star. At noon next day, when the sun threw 

 the shadow of one string on the other, the time-piece 

 was set at twelve, and in honor of the event the place 

 was named Camp North Star. 



A band of sheep was seen that evening on the top 

 of a high mountain, and next day Dyche saw a band 

 of fourteen and made a long and tedious stalk to get 

 near them. The animals were feeding in a patch of 

 timber, and the hunter could get no closer than within 

 two hundred yards of the band. The sheep were in 

 a patch of timber on the side of the mountain, and 

 the naturalist sat patiently waiting for them to feed 

 towards him. They appeared to be travelling slowly 

 his way, but he could only get occasional glimpses of 

 them through the woods. 



Suddenly he heard a rushing sound, and looking 

 from his hiding-place he saw a small band of sheep 

 flying up the mountain, while the others were mak- 

 ing as good headway in another direction. The wind 

 had changed, and they had got scent of the hunter 

 and were thoroughly frightened. Well knowing the 

 futility of a pursuit, Dyche made his way back to 

 camp, killing a white-backed woodchuck and a grouse 

 as he went. 



