i 4 8 THE ADVENTURES OF A NATURE GUIDE 



tree shadow, never putting a nose or an ear out 

 in the sunshine, unless hopping to another place of 

 safety. Evidently shadows were camouflage against 

 hawks or other enemies; in shadow was "safety 

 first." The rabbits were with me the year round. 



While my pony was eating rock salt in the mea- 

 dow one autumn day a wild mountain sheep — a 

 Bighorn — came up and joined her. The sheep 

 saw me approaching and ran off while I was still 

 a quarter of a mile away. A few days later he 

 came again for salt. I had moved the block of 

 salt nearer the cabin. The sheep circled it a few 

 times and retreated, but came back that afternoon. 

 The next time he came I stood within a stone's 

 throw of the salt. He came almost to it, then 

 turned and ran away at high speed. A month 

 later he returned and found the salt in the same 

 place. I stood within a stone's throw. Carrying 

 himself erect and alert, he advanced with frequent 

 stops to the salt and licked it for a minute or longer. 

 The following summer he finally came to the salt 

 when I sat near it. 



Thus on the installment plan we became ac- 

 quainted, or rather, salt and safety brought us to- 

 gether. One afternoon he stood boldly looking 

 me over at a distance of thirty feet. I embarrassed 

 him by asking: "How is the weather on the 

 heights?" He jerked his head up and down. I 

 asked: "Which crag did you last climb?" Then 

 he lost his fear and was curious. One day, after 



