FAIRLY IN THE WILDS 125 



Imagine yourself in the position. After a 

 considerable amount of danger, privations 

 and work in the pursuit of this indivi- 

 dual animal, two long and tedious days of 

 fruitless climbing ; two long, weary night 

 scrambles up the snow valley ; several cold 

 nights with somewhat scanty bedding ; a 

 very hard bed ; not too much to eat ; and 

 a few rather " near things" on the hill; 

 and here you are within a few feet of your 

 prize. Imagine how anxiously you would 

 keep your eye on him, as he lies indolently 

 on his side just beneath, with one of his 

 sleepy, half-shut eyes directly facing you, 

 and you know that any movement that 

 may attract his attention will make him 

 open those eyes, and that he will then be 

 gone and no chance of firing ; while at any 

 moment he may wake up in the ordinary 

 course of events. Surely you can feel the 

 insane desire to get the thing settled one 

 way or the other it does not matter which 

 way and yet you have got to pull your- 

 self together and do the right thing ; 



