352 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



the belt, which was an old one, might possibly break, and 

 a fall back to the narrow shelf on which I was standing 

 might carry me over its edge, and that would be the end of 

 me. So I told the Indians to go over the ridge, and if they 

 found any Goats, to come back, and I would then make the 

 attempt. 



They had scarcely been gone ten minutes when they 

 commenced firing, the sound of their muskets echoing and 

 reechoing along the mountain-side. Shot after shot was 

 fired, till the whole place appeared to resound with one 

 continuous roar of musketry. I became excited, and ran 

 along the shelf in hope of finding some more accessible 

 place by which to reach the top; but the search was fruit- 

 less, so I came back, sat down, and, lighting my pipe to 

 soothe my excitement, awaited the return of the Indians. 



In the meantime the firing had ceased, and j)resently the 

 old hunter, with a frown on his swarthy brow, appeared on 

 the crest of the ridge, and sliding down on the shelf, seated 

 himself beside me. 



He was in a decidedly wrathy mood, refused to have 

 anything more to do with the hunt so long as Charley 

 remained, and urged me strongly to send him home. It 

 appeared that shortly after leaving me they came upon a 

 band of seven Goats, and as they had approached them 

 from above, there was a good opportunity for rare sport had 

 they returned to notify me, as I had instructed and as the 

 old hunter wished. But the uncontrollable Charley at once 

 opened fire, and the old hunter, fearful lest he should again 

 be behind, followed suit. Whether from excitement or the 

 inaccuracy of their flint-lock muskets, it is hard to say — 

 out of all their shooting but one Goat fell, and that at 

 Charley's first fire. 



As the old man was in bad humor, I decided to return to 

 camp; but on reaching the canoe, an exclamation from Char- 

 ley drew our attention to a mountain on the opposite side 

 of the creek, where, in a small opening, we discovered a she- 

 Goat with a yoi\ng kid, the latter appearing like a mere 

 speck of snow skij)ping about among the rocks. 



