CARE OF AMMUNITION. 259 



It must not be supposed, however, from what I 

 have said, that animal life is wanting in this part of 

 the continent ; but the most numerous species are of 

 a diminutive size. Man being a rare intruder on 

 their solitudes, they exhibit the most remarkable 

 confidence in his good intentions. Though this un- 

 usual characteristic of the wild animals might be 

 attributed partly to ignorance, it was evident, from 

 the manner in which they noted my presence, that 

 it was blended with curiosity. Thus the ptar- 

 migans (Lagopi), of which there are here several 

 varieties, and the mountain hares, instead of hurrying 

 to place such a distance between me and them as 

 would render them safe, would stop and gaze 

 earnestly at me, following all my movements with 

 eager looks, and frequently permitting me to ap- 

 proach so close to them that I might almost have 

 captured them with the hand. 



As ammunition is always a valuable commodity 

 in these distant regions, it behoves the sportsman or, 

 traveller not to be lavish in his expenditure of it. 

 On this account, when it was possible to make half a 

 charge suffice, I invariably did so. Indeed, in shooting 

 small game here, I never used more, for the distance 

 that intervened between me and the object of my 

 pursuit would seldom be more than ten or fifteen 

 yards. Although it was necessary to shoot for my 

 support, I am not ashamed to confess that I often 

 felt grieved at taking the lives of the harmless, beau- 

 tiful inhabitants of this region, whose trustfulness 



