194 On the Rocky Mountain Sheep. 



• ■-^■^-- 



peaks and ridges, in quest of pasture, but retire to the 

 valleys, in winter. 



The size of the animal, is about that of the common 

 sheep. Their fleeces are white, interspersed with coarse 

 long hairs, protruding beyond the wool, and standing erect 

 upon the surface of the body, which gives them a rug- 

 ged and shaggy appearance. Their horns are short, 

 scarcely projecting beyond the wool of the head, and 

 slightly arcuated bcck wards. These together with the 

 hoofs are black, wh le the other parts of their bodies are 

 uniformly white. Their flesh has a musky flavour, and 

 is at best, unsavoury to the taste. Like other animals of 

 their kind, they are of easy access to the hunter, who, 

 however, seldom puisues them, unless compelled by hun- 

 ger. Their skins an remarkably thick, and of a spongy 

 texture. Their fleeces are esteemed of litde value, by 

 the traders, and are used, merely as a covering for the 

 feet, being well adap:ed to the inclemency of a winter re- 

 sidence, in the region where they are found. Of the 

 silky softness and fineness of their wool, it is sufficient to 

 remark, that in the opinion of those who have made the 

 comparison, it is not probably surpassed, in these respects, 

 by that of the Thibet goat. A skin and specimens of the 

 wool, procured by Messrs. Lewis and Clark, may be seen 

 at the Philadelphia Museum. 



At Fort William, on the north coast of lake Superior, 

 we met with a gentbman, by the name of Henry, in the 

 service of the Hudson Bay Company, who had recently 

 returned from a tradiig excursion to the north-west, in the 

 country before alluded to. The information given by him, 

 in relation to the aninal, was similar to that before stated. 

 He moreover informed us that a young lamb had been 

 caught, by one of his party, and kept for a short time, but 

 as no milk could be procured for its nourishment, it soon 

 died of hunger. In its manners, it resembled the young 



