1 84 CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 



smooth incline covered with snow, and at the start 

 his feet went out from under him and he began to 

 slide; not able to check his speed, he managed 

 to flop over with his face to the incline, and then, 

 by using toes, knees, elbows, and fingers as points of 

 contact, succeeded in stopping the downward plunge, 

 but not a moment too soon, as the slope ended in 

 an abrupt drop of immense height to the jagged 

 rocks below. It was a close call and my companion, 

 considerably shaken by the experience and the close 

 view of the precipice, made his way to the rock foot- 

 ing and finally reached the goat in the canyon; after 

 skinning which, he came to the conclusion that he 

 had enough goat hunting to last some time. Wol- 

 cott's goat had a horn length of seven and one-half 

 inches with six annular rings and long whiskers and 

 excellent pellage. 



For supper we dined upon rice and fried goat's 

 meat, which was almost as tough and unpalatable as 

 grizzly bear, so we filled up mostly on rice and tea, 

 and then lying in front of the fire held a council to 

 consider our plans for next day. Since our boots 

 are nearly gone, and our calks torn out of the soles, 

 and we are knee-sprung, bruised, and sore from the 

 day's experience on the mountains, we decided in 

 view of the fact that we had all the goats we desired 

 that to-morrow would find us on the trail back to 

 Kluane Lake. 



September 20. We were up early this morning 



