150 CAMP FIRE REMINISCENCES 
looked like stumps of branches sticking out from it. 
While watching we suddenly saw that the apparent 
log was really seven goats lying along a ledge, their 
hairy legs hanging over, giving the appearance of 
branches. This was revealed to us by one standing 
up and presently jumping onto the ledge below, 
and a minute later, they were all walking about. A 
timber-grown shoulder ran up the right side of the 
amphitheatre to a final cliff. Long before this was 
reached, however, the pines had almost disappeared, 
only an occasional dwarfed one being seen. Look- 
ing at this for a while, I decided that it was possible 
for me to go up the shoulder and get within shot 
of the goats. I climb rather well when there are 
trees or shrubs about—bare rocks being my béte 
noir. Dawson told us we must not think of at- 
tempting the ascent at that hour as it would be ex- 
ceedingly dangerous, and probably mean remaining 
on the mountain all night. Sitting at our late 
lunch, I made up my mind to try the climb, being 
the only member of the party who had nothing to 
my credit. 
Getting my rifle and slipping into the brush be- 
side the tents, I found a dry creek bed, well hidden 
by scrub, and following this for a while, succeeded 
in reaching the timber. Climbing a timber-clad 
mountain, it is surprising to find how different 
it appears than when viewed from the valley! 
This shoulder was very steep, and while appear- 
ing well timbered from below it was really quite 
a climb from one tree to the next. Going up, the 
trees soon began to dwarf and I had to keep on 
