102 CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 



and Albert should go after those descending into 

 the canyon. 



Getting into the canyon was slow and difficult 

 business as we were obliged to get under cover of a 

 number of ridges in order to keep out of sight of 

 the sheep, and after ascending the canyon a half 

 mile we found the sheep had crossed over and were 

 slowly feeding up the mountain; so we put on full 

 steam ahead in an effort to climb the side of the 

 mountain and head off the ascending rams. 



Wet with perspiration and panting with the effort 

 of speeding up the rocky slopes, we were about half 

 way to the first ridge when we happened to look 

 up; there stood the two rams with perfect, wide- 

 spreading horns nine hundred feet above us, looking 

 at our climbing with deep disgust ; but on raising the 

 rifle for a chance shot, the rams vanished. There 

 was no point whatever in going after them, but we 

 had nothing else to do and desired to have a look at 

 the range above, so we climbed up three thousand 

 feet and sat down just below snow line. The moun- 

 tains were covered with ewes and lambs feeding 

 undisturbed, but we saw no bands of rams, and even 

 the two -we had attempted to head off had evidently 

 crossed over the range. 



Looking across the valley we saw Hoyt and 

 Dixon, mere specks, climbing through the snow 

 fields; at last they reached the knife-blade summit 

 and dodged behind the pinnacles, but their quarry 



