THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 387 



top of a bed of rock, and was raising myself by it, when 

 its roots let go their slight hold, and I fell backward. I 

 should have gone, no one knows how far, down the fearful 

 declivity, even as my victim had lately gone, had I not 

 fortunately caught a strong juniper-shrub that stood near. 

 This friendly shrub was the means of my living to tell this 

 story. 



I was compelled to stop every few minutes to rest. I 

 would throw myself prostrate on any shelving rock or 

 friendly bit of level earth that was large enough to hold 

 me, and lie there like a dead man until I could recover 

 sufficient breath and strength to resume my way. I fre- 

 quently had to jump from point to point of projecting 

 rocks, across open chasms which I could cross in no other 

 way, and which there was no means of going around. 



Finally, after an almost superhuman struggle of more 

 than two hours, I reached the top of the mountain, and fell 

 on the soft grass in the park, more dead than alive. My 

 clothing was wet with perspiration, though the temperature 

 was far below the freezing-point. I lay there until I began 

 to feel the pangs of cold and hunger; then I went and got 

 the good, faithful old horse. Blue, who was picketed in the 

 woods a few hundred yards away, lashed the Sheep-head on 

 my riding-saddle, and led him to the camp. It was dark 

 when I reached there, and Charley had a good, hot dinner 

 of mountain mutton-chops, boiled potatoes, baked beans, 

 and liot bread awaiting me. Did I eat ? Well, you would 

 not believe it if I tokl you how much I ate, and if you want 

 to know, the best thing you can do is to go out there and 

 try it for yourself. 



I could find no better hunting-ground than the same 

 park, and went back to it early the next morning. Sure 

 enough, there was another small band of Sheej:). I picked 

 out a large, fat ewe this time, and killed her. Then for a 

 running-shot I selected a lamb. I broke his hind leg, also, 

 and he started down tlie hill, just as the ram had done the 

 day before. I followed, and found him lying down just 

 below the edge of the prairie. Another ball through the 



