388 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



Bear, from the fact that he had once killed the plantigrade 

 single-handed. 



Leaving the others, we moved toward the snow -fields, 

 and after trudging half a mile obliquely upward, we struck 

 goat " signs," and these induced us to halt to reconnoitre. 

 My companion, after glancing at them some moments, told 

 me in classical Chinook that they were fresh, and that we 

 should soon meet a colony of the Capridce, if nothing un- 

 usual occurred. Advancing slowly and silently, and glan- 

 cing cautiously about, we entered a deep ravine, and, to our 

 surprise and disgust, found, ere we had been there many 

 seconds, that the colony had detected us, and were hasten- 

 ing up the cliffs, some yards beyond, at a tremendous rate. 

 Clambering up the steep bluffs the best way we could, now 

 stumbling forward, then threatening to fall into the chasm 

 below, we finally reached the upper world, only to see a 

 small cloud of goats disappearing in the distance. I was 

 angry at our ill-luck ; but the red man was as stoical as a 

 statue, and showed no signs of emotion ; not even a word or 

 facial thought escaped him. We toiled on once more until 

 we got among some loose shelving and snow, and, after 

 scanning our position, we saw three goats a short distance 

 below us standing in an attitude of vigilance. They look- 

 ed proud and enticing, and as we wanted them badly we 

 attempted to stalk them. Bending low, at a signal from 

 my cicerone we moved downward, now dodging behind 

 rocks, now creeping almost on the ground, until my back 

 seemed ready to break. We at length reached a conven- 

 ient covert behind a huge crag, but, on peering out to get 

 a peep at our quarries, we saw them moving up to the 

 right. I was so disgusted that I fired; but the only re- 

 sult was to see one give a sudden bound as if wounded, 

 and dart around rocks that hung over a precipice — and 

 where a cat could hardly find a foothold — with remarkable 

 ease and celerity. I followed it, but I dared not do more 

 than attempt to peer toward its line of retreat for fear of 

 having my head made dizzy by the depth and terrifying 

 character of the chasm below. 



