120 SPORT IN NOETH AMERICA. 



It was only by the smoke which issued from the 

 roof of one of them that I could perceive the where- 

 abouts of the huts. As we approached the threshold, 

 we were received by one of the shepherds, who 

 was waiting for us, having been warned of our 

 arrival by a negro, whom M. Simonds had sent on 

 with provisions and ammunition. The shepherd of 

 the Masserne was a man in the full vigour of his 

 age ; he seemed to be about forty years old ; his 

 face was weather-beaten, and his long curly hair, 

 falling upon his shoulders, gave him quite a wild 

 appearance. His clothes were made of fur, and 

 covered him from head to foot, making him look 

 not very unlike a remarkably fine bear. He had 

 remained in the hut to cook the supper for the 

 other shepherds, and, shortly after our arrival, the 

 others arrived, driving before them the whole flock 

 of sheep, goats, alpacas, coavs, and bulls. The shep- 

 herds were aided in their difficult task of keeping 

 these flocks in order by a dozen large dogs. As 

 soon as the herds were picketed for the night, 

 everybody seemed to think of supper, — which con- 

 sisted of some capital onion soup, a plate of boiled 

 meat, and a glass of brandy. 



A herd of nineteen wild goats had been sighted 

 about five miles from the huts, feeding leisurely on 

 a platform of the mountains, near a torrent which 

 was fed by the snow of the Masserne chain. They 

 had occupied this pasture for five days, and on that 



