GOATS AND SHEEP IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 235 



place below near the swamp where I had lately been. The 

 presence beyond of many ewes at once explained the emptiness 

 of the marsh, for those sharp-eyed sentries had from their 

 higher position seen me and given the alarm. Not daring to go 

 further, we decided to wait for the ram to rise, for as he lay half 

 his body was hidden by rocks. We ate our lunch and shivered, 

 became thoroughly cold and uncomfortable, for it was very 

 chilly and snowing hard, but the ram took no compassion on us 

 and did not seem to mind the cold and snow. Our patience 

 at last exhausted, we tossed up a coin or a button for the shot 

 and C. won it, but not the big-horn's head, for that disappeared 

 over the nearest ridge. 



At last we had to give up sheep hunting ; snow began to fall 

 heavily and we were nine long marches away from the railway and 

 did not wish to be snowed up. To keep the pot boiling we shot 

 a ewe or two there was nothing else edible about and we all 

 thought the goat's meat less " goaty " than the mutton. 



In spite of the poor bag it was a most enjoyable trip, but we 

 ought to have had a good hunter apiece so as to be independent, 

 and proper dogs for the bears. 



