SPORT IN THE GOLD RANGE 



of curve, eleven and one-quarter inches ; circumference at base, 

 five and one-half inches; left — length of curve, eleven inches; 

 circumference at base, five and one-quarter inches; and five 

 and one-half inches from tip to tip.^ 



At one time during the afternoon I was crawling over a slide 

 with my rifle and a goat-head under one arm when I missed 

 my footing and started slowly sliding, face downward, toward 

 the edge of a cliff below. Discarding rifle and trophy, I dug 

 with my knees in the sliding shale, and grasped every bush and 

 rock within reach of either hand, only to pull it along with me. 

 Finally I straddled a more substantial bush at the brink of the 

 precipice, and for a few minutes lay there in a cold perspiration, 

 listening to the shower of rocks which I had dislodged rattling 

 among the tree-tops one hundred yards below. Fortunately 

 both Winchester and goat-head had lodged against small bushes, 

 and I was able to climb with these to the ledge from which I 

 had started. 



Darkness overtook us as we finished decapitating the last 

 goat, and we were forced to spend the night on a sloping piece 

 of turf between two ledges. We gathered some dry branches 

 and built a fire on the only level spot available, which happened 

 to be the edge of an ugly precipice. To avoid slipping into the 

 blaze in our few unconscious moments, we were obliged to 

 cling to a few stunted trees. At one time during the night I 

 dozed off, and was unfortunate enough to slide down, feet first, 

 into the smouldering fire. I did not awaken until the hob- 

 nails with which the soles of my boots were plentifully studded 

 had become thoroughly heated through, and my motions in 

 discarding these boots, as described and illustrated by the 

 guide, have always seemed to interest an Eastern or Western 



1 According to the fifth edition of Rowland Ward's Records of Big Game, 

 the length of the horns of this goat head is exceeded by only two specimens, 

 II J inches in length. The base circumference of one of these is not given, 

 and that of the other, which is a female head, is three-fourths of an inch 

 less. 



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