SEARCHING FOR RAMS 69 



until afternoon the next day. When it slackened it was 

 necessary to search for a spot to safely cross the brook, 

 now swollen and dashing by in heavy volume. Careful 

 search was made for the wolf, but all signs had been 

 obliterated by the rain, which, later in the afternoon, 

 increased so much that hunting for that day was given up. 



While I was sheltered by the tent, a ground-squirrel 

 greatly amused me. It began to approach, stopping, after 

 each slight advance, to rise on its hind legs and look at 

 me, until it came to the tent and cautiously pried about, 

 eating grease in the frying-pan and picking up stray bits 

 of meat. The shrikes also were about, flying from tree 

 to tree, fighting over pieces of meat. Then the jays came 

 for their share, and even a red squirrel was attracted to 

 the feast. 



At five o'clock in the afternoon it stopped raining and 

 nine ewes and lambs were seen feeding on the opposite 

 mountain, evidently a part of those which had been 

 observed across the basin, now coming back to their 

 original pastures. Then a ewe and two lambs were seen 

 feeding on the conical mountain near where Rungius had 

 killed the cow caribou. The lambs, on reaching a long 

 bank of snow, began a game of butting, backing apart 

 and rushing together again and again. Soon all dis- 

 appeared over the top. It was then eight o'clock and 

 growing colder. 



August i. The first day of August was bright, clear, 

 and windy, with scattered clouds hovering here and there 

 over the mountains. I decided to again climb the ridge 

 behind our main camp, and walk east along the crest. 



