THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



367 



which clings with great tenacity to any object with which 

 it comes in contact. 



The young of this species (usually one, but sometimes 

 two in number) are dropped in May or the early part of 

 June; and when a few days old, will follow their mothers, 

 if alarmed, over rocky walls where it would seem that a 

 Wildcat could scarcely find a foot-hold. 



The flesh of the Rocky Mountain Sheep is adjudged by 

 most hunters the most delicious venison in the mountains, 

 and the roasted ribs of a fat young ram, with a couple of 

 hard-tacks, have often, after a hard day's climb, furnished 

 me a rejoast that I have relished more, beside my camp-fire, 

 than any spread I ever sat down to within the confines of 

 civilization. 



Notwithstanding all the natural instincts of the Big 

 Horn, he may be overcome by the exj^erienced and skillful 

 hunter. The natural alertness, the wariness, the keen eye, 

 the quick ear, and the acute scent of the one, are no match 

 for the trained eye, the cat-like tread of moccasined foot, 

 the superior reasoning faculties, and the breech-loading 

 rifle of the other; for, after all, the white man is the smart- 

 est animal On the earth. And so the doom of the Mountain 

 Sheep is written in his own blood, as is that of all the large 

 game animals on this continent. How long it will be before 

 the bones of the last specimen of this noble race are left to 

 whiten on his native rocks, it is impossible to say; but it is 

 only a question of time. 



Within the memory of men now living, there were thou- 

 sands of wild Sheep on various mountain ranges in Colo- 

 rado where not a track of one has been seen for five years 

 past; and some of the best-informed hunters and guides 

 assert that there are not now a hundred Big Horns left in 

 that whole State. In all the far western States and Terri- 

 tories, the Sin Ml 1 have been rapidly reduced in numbers, year 

 by year, uniil now they can only be found in small bands, 

 and in the most remote fastnesses on the continent. * 



Perhaps the best hunting of this class is now to be found 

 in British Columbia; and as few readers of this volume will 



