CHAPTER VII 



SEARCHING FOR SHEEP 1904 



September 10. The thermometer again went to six- 

 teen degrees during the night, and the next day was 

 cloudy, with an occasional patch of blue sky, but there 

 was a strong wind all the afternoon. Selous went to the 

 mountains on the south; the men to the river to bring 

 back some provisions; and I over the north ridges to 

 investigate the mountains beyond. I wore shoes of rubber 

 with leather uppers, similar to those used by lumbermen 

 in the forests of the North. In wet snow the uppers 

 would soak through and the feet would soon become wet, 

 but though far from good foot-gear for climbing, they 

 were not so slippery as the moccasins. 



Soon after going over the ridge I saw bear-tracks 

 leading down into the timber, and followed them for some 

 distance until convinced they had been made several 

 hours before. Then, abandoning the trail, I climbed the 

 face of the mountain and proceeded along the slope. The 

 tracks of a cow and calf moose soon appeared, showing 

 that they had travelled a short distance outside of the 

 timber to feed on the willows. Crossing a small draw, I 

 climbed to the top of a high smooth mountain, on the 

 left of which was the head of a magnificent elevated draw 



