CHAPTER XIV 



HUNTING RAMS 1905 



July 28. After a few hours of sleep I was awakened 

 by the loud clucking of a ptarmigan close to the shelter, 

 and soon heard the peeping of the scattered chicks, which 

 were hurriedly gathering about her. Several ground- 

 squirrels, whose holes were very near the camp, were 

 running about or sitting up and chattering. Jeffries had 

 started the fire and prepared another great quantity of 

 meat, most of which he consumed with the eagerness of 

 a starving man. During the morning I remained in camp 

 to arrange everything in order. 



. After lunch I started for the mountain south-east of 

 camp, and in two and a half hours succeeded in reaching 

 the crest. Looking through my field-glasses along the 

 slopes of the rough mountain behind the camp, I could 

 see seven sheep which were too distant to make out the 

 sex. Proceeding along the crest I reached the highest 

 peak, seven thousand five hundred and fifty feet in alti- 

 tude. A sheep-trail followed the ridge-roof of the crest, 

 and a few old tracks of ewes and lambs were there. I 

 heard one cony, and saw two rock ptarmigan. Mists 

 bringing light showers of rain, all gathering exclusively 

 around the mountain on which I stood, continually 



floated by and enveloped me, while to the south-west the 



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