148 THE UPPER YUKON 



the bottom was rocky, with a tempestuous 

 stream racing through it. 



On the far side of the canyon the mountain 

 went up with a precipitous face to an extreme 

 height. At the very top was a ledge of rock 

 jutting out some ten feet. On this rock a 

 young ram stood gazing down upon our 

 horses. The Chief said we were out of mut- 

 ton for the table, and he would like to get 

 that ram. It seemed an impossibility to get 

 him at such a distance, but he said: "Lend me 

 your Mannlicher there's no telling how far 

 that gun will carry, and I'm going to try to 

 get him." So he aimed carefully and fired. 

 The ram did not move, but seemed to be won- 

 dering whence the sharp, spitting noise came, 

 as the bullet passed by him. The second shot 

 had a similar result; the third likewise; and 

 the fourth and the fifth. On the sixth he 

 jumped, and ran to the extreme right of the 

 rock, where he again looked down upon us. 

 At the seventh he turned with his stern to us. 

 At the eighth he once more jumped, this 

 time to the left, yet he was evidently so en- 

 tranced that he could not take his eyes from 

 us or the horses. The ninth seemed to be a 

 miss, as did the tenth, but at the eleventh 

 shot he fell over the edge and rolled down 



