292 



FRANK FORESTER S FIELD SPORTS. 



MOUNTAIN SPORTS. 



PON tlie highest crags and ridges 

 of the Rocky Mountains, where 

 no foot of man, save that of a few- 

 bold explorers or daring trappers, 

 has frayed the virgin snows, dwells, 

 almost unknown, in his unap- 

 proached, secure solitudes, the 

 Wild Goat of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains ; for, though he has been 

 incorrectly styled a Sheep, such is his proper name and order. 

 Little is known of his haunts, of his habits, less. No very 

 accurate description exists, so far as I can discover, even of its 

 appearance ; that given by Godman, which I have quoted above, 

 being both bald and contradictory, inasmuch as in one line he 

 states that " the traders do not consider its fleece of much 

 worth ;" and ten lines lower, on the same page, asserts that " it 

 is said that the fleece of this Goat is as fine as that of the cele- 

 brated Shawl Goat of Cashmere." 



Its flesh is said to be musky and unpleasant ; and, although 

 so little is known positively concerning the animal, it would not 

 appear that there is much difficulty in its pursuit or capture, 

 beyond the difficulties inherent to its haunts, and unavoidable 

 by visiters to the Ultima Thule of America, the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. 



This much is certain, that it bears no analogy whatever to 

 the Chamois of the Alps, or the Ibex of the Pyrennees, both 

 of which are smooth, sleek-coated animals, nearer akin to the 



