THE FINAL HUNT FOR RAMS 231 



constant watch on the slopes above them. All the sheep 

 I had seen up to that time in the Pelly Mountains were 

 continually tormented about the lips and nose by insects. 

 They were constantly shaking their heads or rubbing 

 them along the ground, and striking the ground with 

 their horns. No mosquitoes were there and some of the 

 varieties of small flies must have been worrying them. 



Later I returned to the carcass of the ram I had killed 

 the day before, and rested for half an hour. Looking up 

 at the crest of the mountain I saw the sheep which I had 

 photographed in the morning walking along the sky-line. 

 They evidently had been resting there all the afternoon. 

 The angle of the sun was again just right to transform the 

 three-year olds into "ibexes." Then, instead of leading, 

 as she did in the morning before they were disturbed, the 

 wily old ewe was walking in the rear, and pausing every 

 few moments to stop and look behind. The small rams 

 walked somewhat indifferently ahead of her. Cutting off 

 the hind quarters of the ram, I shouldered them and re- 

 turned to camp. 



August 4. The only territory available to hunt from 

 that camp, which I had not already investigated, was that 

 west of the south basin. Early in the morning, I tramped 

 three miles up toward the basin, and arriving at the foot 

 of the range waited for the atmosphere to clear. Heavy 

 mists obscured all the mountains and I did not want to 

 attempt the long climb unless the nearer mountains could 

 be distinctly seen. Instead of lifting the fog increased, 

 and by the time I had eaten lunch mists had filled all the 

 basins. I returned and the next day was so foggy and 



