CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 109 



side, as it seemed an impossible task. The Indian 

 was picking the course which ran diagonally upward 

 across the face of the rock and their going was slow, 

 with frequent pauses for rest; often they made their 

 way horizontally across the perilous rock faces only 

 to change again at favorable points to the upward 

 diagonal, until at last they came out of the canyon 

 on the tundra. 



A stalk of three hundred yards behind a low ridge 

 brought them within seventy-five yards of the two 

 rams, the largest of which Hoyt selected and began 

 to shoot. There were two shots, both wide of the 

 mark, before the ram started to run, then three more 

 complete misses, and while Hoyt slipped in a fresh 

 cartridge clip, the Indian ran to head the game to- 

 wards the canyon, while Hoyt ran a short distance 

 and missed five more shots. The ram started for 

 the canyon and came down the side and started up- 

 wards towards the ridge where the writer and Dixon 

 had reserved seats, and a moment later Hoyt ap- 

 peared at the edge of the canyon and missed five 

 more shots. The ram went forward a short dis- 

 tance and stood for a moment before starting up 

 the slope; again Hoyt shot, breaking a leg, another 

 shot went through the hind quarter, and the last 

 and eighteenth shot crashed through behind the 

 shoulder and killed. 



We did not wait for them to dress the animal, but 

 went down the mountain towards our horses, and 



