234 THE WILDERNESS OF THE UPPER YUKON 



landscape of lofty ranges rich in color, abounding in 

 sculptured crags, deep canons, and green basins the 

 desolation relieved by the chatter of the ground-squirrel, 

 the bleat of the coney, or the whistle of the marmot, while 

 you are ever alert for larger game the noble ram or the 

 shaggy grizzly. 



By noon the wind from the south had increased, 

 bringing dark clouds, mists, and a heavy shower. I had 

 noticed among the Pelly Mountains, that whenever the 

 wind came from the south, it brought heavy mists and 

 showers. Sitting under a shelving rock, I ate some 

 bread and remained for an hour until the sky was again 

 clear. Looking westward across the valley to another 

 range, I saw a band of eighty ewes and lambs feeding 

 and resting on the slope. The variations in color were 

 the same as in the case of the sheep already observed in 

 the Pelly Mountains. As they rested, I watched them 

 and noticed at times an apparent sentinel, but at other 

 times all rested without one. 



I then continued along the crest toward the amphi- 

 theatre of mountains surrounding the head of the basin. 

 Their north slopes, then fronting me, were covered in 

 places with much snow, and iron-stained rock imparted 

 to them a rich, red color. At three in the afternoon, when 

 nearer the head of the basin, I seated myself for the pur- 

 pose of looking through my field-glasses at a very high 

 mountain farther to the west. This was connected by a 

 high saddle to another mountain which was joined to 

 the basin ranges by a ridge. A large bank of snow ex- 

 tended down the slope of the saddle, two miles distant. 



