158 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



The bullet had struck him in the hip and ranged for- 

 wards to the neck, not coming out. 



All this stalking had occupied much time, and it 

 was now between three and four o'clock in the after- 

 noon and camp was a long way off. An hour was 

 spent taking notes and measurements and skinning 

 the animals, and then Dyche started for camp, carry- 

 ing the load of skins, skulls, and a portion of the lamb. 

 The way was long and rough, and finally he was com- 

 pelled to cache the greater portion of his load and 

 proceed with his quarter of lamb. 



Next morning it was snowing heavily, and the 

 northwest wind cut to the bone. Dyche waited 

 for a cessation of the storm, but finding that 

 there were no indications of a lull he saddled Slim 

 Jim, the meanest and fattest horse in camp, and 

 started after his specimens. The snow had changed 

 the appearance of the country so much that he 

 could hardly make out the landmarks which he 

 had noticed the day before, but just as he was 

 about to give up the search he saw a moving object 

 among the trees. Suddenly an old ram came into 

 view at the edge of the timber. Jumping from his 

 horse, Dyche began to unfasten his gun and the ram 

 started for the timber, climbing up the rocky ledge. 

 By the time the gun was out of its fastenings the ram 

 was at the top of the ledge, but here he made a mis- 

 take. He stopped to look back. Just at that moment 

 Dyche dropped on one knee and sent a bullet after 

 him. As the gun cracked the sheep jumped away, 

 and Slim Jim did likewise. Dyche spent fifteen min- 

 utes catching the horse, and then went to look for 



