204 THE WILDERNESS OF THE UPPER YUKON 



keep me hidden from their sight. But since many days 

 might elapse before rams could be found and meat had 

 to be obtained as quickly as possible, I made the descent 

 and began a circling ascent of the mountain. After three 

 hours of slow and tiresome work, I was near the crest 

 and carefully circled for the purpose of establishing the 

 position of the sheep. At length, about to come in view 

 of the place where I hoped to find them, I crawled flat 

 on my stomach, and lifting my head saw all standing, 

 banded closely together, about a hundred and fifty yards 

 opposite me. About to lie down, they were taking one 

 last look below. A large ewe stood a few feet to the 

 right, and not caring to fire into the band, I aimed at 

 her, and, fortunately, hit her in the heart. The whole 

 band, led by a large ewe, at once dashed wildly along the 

 slope and disappeared over the steep, almost vertical walls 

 that flanked the slope slightly beyond. The ewe had no 

 milk, and therefore no lamb. Her head was pure white 

 and the grayish pattern was so subdued that the color 

 could be compared most closely with the darkest speci- 

 men I had killed in the Ogilvies/ 



It was nearly eleven in the night; twilight color had 

 overspread the landscape; the peaks distant to the west 

 were still illumined with rosy light caught from the fad- 

 ing sun. Taking the hind quarters with as much extra 

 meat as could be carried, I staggered downward to the 

 foot, kindled a small fire, and made tea, which greatly 

 refreshed me. I then shouldered the load and more 

 rapidly went down the sloping pastures of the basin, 

 until I plunged into the dense brush. It was among the 



