,6 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



ones most likely to befall this or any other 

 mountain climber. 



The white Rocky Mountain goat really is 

 the wild mountain climber. Of all the big 

 animals or the small ones that I know, none can 

 equal him in ascending smooth and extremely 

 precipitous rock walls. That mountain climb- 

 ing organization of the Pacific Coast which 

 calls itself "Mazama," meaning mountain goat, 

 has an excellent title and one peculiarly fitting 

 for mountain climbers on the icy peaks of the 

 Northwest. 



Like all good mountain climbers the goat is 

 sure-footed and has feet that are fit. His 

 stubby black hoofs have^ a dense, rubbery, re- 

 silient broad heel. The outer shell of the hoof 

 is hard, but I think not so hard as the hoofs of 

 most animals. 



One season in Alaska I came close upon a 

 party of seven mountain goats in the head of a 

 little canon. I supposed them cornered and, 

 advancing slowly so as not to frighten them un- 

 duly, I thought to get close. They at once 

 made off without any excitement. At a mod- 

 erate pace they deliberately proceeded to climb 

 what might be called a smooth, perpendicular 

 wall. It leaned not more than ten or twelve 

 degrees from the vertical. There were a few 

 tiny root clusters on it and here and there a 



