136 CAMP-FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 



of grazing-ground. Very soon it passed behind a point 

 that jutted out from our ridge, and for a moment dis- 

 appeared. 



Cautiously we descended a short distance, and again 

 sighted the animal. It was quietly grazing, and not more 

 than one hundred and fifty yards away. We sat down, 

 and watched him until we were tired ; and then I decided 

 to test his ears, his eyesight and his courage. Although 

 we were in plain view of him, he paid no attention to us. 



I whistled, faintly at first; but he took no notice. I 

 whistled again, loud enough to have startled any deer 

 feeding at the same distance, and sent it flying; but still 

 no notice. Then I gave three or four very shrill blasts, 

 in a manner specially developed in my boyhood. The 

 goat raised his head, and looked about with an air of 

 curiosity, but stirred not from his position, and mani- 

 fested no alarm. I presume he thought that a whistling 

 marmot had found out how to whistle with two fingers 

 in his mouth. 



So long as we remained motionless, the goat was 

 quite indifferent to our presence. When I left off whist- 

 ling, he went on feeding. At last we rose quietly, and 

 moved on down; and then he decided to be going. I 

 said " Hello," rather loudly, but he merely went on at 

 a moderately fast walk. When I shouted, he hastened 

 perceptibly; and finally, when I yelled at him, he really 

 took alarm. But even then he did not leap, and stam- 

 pede in a panicky way, as a deer does. He simply trotted 

 away as fast as he could, climbed the divide before him 

 at its lowest point, and disappeared over its crest. 



