HAZARD OF THE CHASE. 281 



and the blankets which they manufacture from 

 the wool. The animal, from this evidence, ap- 

 pears to be of the size of our common sheep, 

 of a white colour. The wool is fine on many 

 parts of the body, but in length not equal to 

 that of our domestic sheep. On the back, and 

 particularly on the top of the head, this is in- 

 termixed with a considerable portion of long, 

 straight hairs. From the Indian account, these 

 animals have erect, pointed horns." 



The Kocky Mountain goat wanders over the 

 most precipitous rocks, and springs with great 

 activity from crag to crag, feeding on the plants, 

 grasses, and mosses of the mountain sides, and 

 seldom or never descends to the luxuriant val- 

 leys, as the big horn does. This goat, indeed, 

 resembles the wild goat of Europe, or the 

 chamois, in its habits, and is very difficult to 

 procure. Now and then the hunter may ob- 

 serve one browsing on the extreme verge of 

 some perpendicular rock almost directly above 

 him, far beyond gunshot, and entirely out of 

 harm's way. At another time, after fatiguing 

 and hazardous efforts, the hungry marksman 

 may reach a spot from whence his rifle will 

 send a ball into the unsuspecting goat; then 

 slowly he rises from his hands and knees, on 

 which he has been creeping, and the muzzle of 

 his heavy gun is "rested" on a loose stone, be- 

 24* 



