228 HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



getting out the camera, we took a picture just after they 

 had plunged across the stream and were about seventy 

 yards away on the other bank. 



But it was not so easy to cross the rushing river as 

 it had seemed from the heights above. Indeed, after 

 ahnost an hoiu* searching the banks we finally found that 

 we could do so only just below the waterfall. Here the 

 main channel plunged into a very narrow passage, a 

 mere slit between the rocks about three feet wide. 

 Across this we jumped over the boiling torrent, and had 

 a hard climb up the steep benches on the other side to 

 reach the snow line. This took another hour, and when 

 we got there the three rams which we had been aiming 

 to find had disappeared. We could not see them in any 

 direction. 



Around the benches we went, therefore, keeping a 

 lookout for the lone ram we had seen grazing there earlier 

 in the morning. But when we came upon him he did not 

 look worth a very great effort to secure. His horns had 

 evidently been worn off and although they appeared 

 rather heavy, the day was so well advanced that we 

 watched him scramble to his feet and climb up the steep 

 mountain without much regret. Afterward we were 

 incUned to reproach ourselves that we did not go for him. 

 But at that time we had great hopes of securing an 

 exceptionally fine specimen by more extended hunting. 



A careful survey of the country between this point of 

 the benches where we were standing and the course that 

 we must take to reach oiu* cabin showed a discouraging 

 prospect. The low land was full of thick alder patches 

 and swamps with numerous willow fields. It was imprac- 

 ticable to follow the crest of the benches, as they made a 

 wide sweep around to our left and some of the rock 



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