American Big-Game Hunting 



us down in the park from his ridge. He had 

 come to the edge, and was evidently watch- 

 ing the horses. If not quick-witted, the goat 

 is certainly wary; and the next time we saw 

 him he had taken himself away down the other 

 side of the mountain, along a spine of rocks 

 where approach was almost impossible. We 

 watched his slow movements through the glass, 

 and were both reminded of a bear. He felt 

 safe, and was stepping deliberately along, 

 often stopping, often walking up some small 

 point and surveying the scenery. He moved 

 in an easy, rolling fashion, and turned his head 

 importantly. Then he lay down in the sun, 

 but saw us on our way to him, and bounced 

 off. We came to the place where he had 

 jumped down sheer twenty feet at least. His 

 hoof-tracks were on the edge, and in the gravel 

 below the heavy scatter he made in landing; 

 and then, hasty tracks round a corner of 

 rock, and no more goat that day. 



I had become uneasy about the weather. 

 It was all sunshine again, and though our first 

 goat was irretrievably gone, we had the after- 

 noon before us. Nevertheless, when I sug- 

 gested we should spend it in taking the shoes 



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