THE BIG-HORN, OR MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 405 



shooting, I hurried after them as rapidly as I could, and 

 was soon rejoined by my companion, who felt as keenly 

 about my want of success as I did myself, as he feared we 

 should not be able to get another shot during the morning, 

 :unl perhaps not during the day, owing to the noise created 

 by the firing, which would send them all scampering to- 

 ward the highest pinnacles, where it would be difficult to 

 pursue them. After pursuing them for about two hundred 

 yards, we came upon spots of blood, and this brought us 

 the joyous assurance that one at least was wounded. 



Following up this trail until it led to a large piece of 

 shelving formed of loose stones, which overhung a deep 

 but very narrow chasm, I commenced scouting over it, 

 while my companion worked to the right among some 

 young firs and large crags that skirted a ravine. I lost it 

 suddenly, however, and though I quartered in every direc- 

 tion I could find no trace of it. Returning to where I first 

 lost it, I saw that some of the small stones were overturned 

 very recently, evidently by the stamping of an animal in 

 pain ; and this caused me to look at their under side, and 

 that I found freely sprinkled with blood. Turning up 

 those that were disarranged, I followed their course for a 

 few feet until I came to a small wall or terrace, which was 

 scarcely two feet high, and ran along the outer end of the 

 shelf. 



Not daring to advance to that treacherous foothold, I 

 iravc a lusty shout to arouse any game that might be con- 

 cealed there, and the mountains had scarcely taken up the 

 echo before a splendid ram bounded from the shelter of 

 the wall and attempted to leap the chasm; but I was ready 

 for him that time, and lie had scarcely risen in the air be- 

 fore a ball went crashing through his sides, and sent him 

 headlong into the canyon; but, very fortunately, instead of 

 bring dashrd to pieces on the rocks below, he fell into a fir 

 that irivw mi a most convenient ledge, whence I was able 

 to .lra-_' him to a more eligible locality, where I could gloat 

 over him in comfort. My companion joined nu- halt an 

 hour later, he also having succeeded in killing one by com- 



