ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



53 



was so steep \vc had to use 

 our hands as well as our 

 feet, and the work was so 

 exhausting 1 was compelled 

 to halt frequently. At last 

 wc reached the rocks, and I 

 exchanged my shoes for 

 moccasins. It was a great 

 relief to secure a firm foot- 

 ing, and after a short rest 

 1 liad no further difficult\- in 

 keeping with the other mem- 

 bers of the party. 



The Intlians exercised no 

 caution whatever, and after 

 rebuking them several times 

 I finally compelled them t<i 

 remain behind. Hicks and 

 I went on u]), scrambling 

 over craggy rocks, creeping 

 along narrow ledges, and 

 passing through crevices, 

 but always taking care to 

 keep out of sight of our 

 (|uarry. In many ])laces it seemed as though 

 ascent was impossible, but somehow we always 

 found a ledge or niche where a footing could 

 be secured. 



.\t hist, when [idsitive that we were well 

 above the sheep, we halted. While Hicks 

 went ahead to locate the game, I held the 

 Indians back. He returned with the informa- 

 tion that three hundred yards above us there 

 was another ewe, but he was unable, without 

 exposing himself, to tell whether it had a lamb. 

 We retraced our steps to a rocky peak, and 

 under its protection sneaked to within a hun- 

 dred yards of the sluH'p, when we saw a lamb 

 lying by it. 



The mother seemed reluctant to leave the 

 little one, even for a moment, but at last she 

 walked around a point and out of its sight. 

 Then wc allowed lier to sec us, and she took 

 fright, at once. While attempting to get above 

 the lamb, wc lost sight of it. Hicks immedi- 

 ately climbed a cliff, and after sighting it, 

 signaled its ])osition to me. I sent one of the 

 Indians to the ojiposite side, and stationed the 

 other lielow^ the lamb, while I came up from 

 the left. Everything being in readiness. Hicks 

 climbed down from above and blocked the only 

 passage. The lamb w-as resting quietlv at the 

 base of a clift'. Then wc all moved forward 

 from dift'erent directions, and soon had sur- 

 rounded and captured it. It was not more than 

 a few- hours old, and because of its weak con- 

 dition scarcely made any atlemjit to escape. 



The sheep and lamb we had first seen and 

 started for. had taken fright and crossed the 

 divide. It seemed almost useless to follow 



them, but since we were only a few hundred 

 feet from the top of the mountain, and it 

 would take but two persons to carry the laml-) 

 already captured, we sent the Indians after the 

 otlier. ' 



.\s we were about to return to cam]), an 

 eagle suddenly darted round the face of a 

 cliff, and with wings half closed swoo]ied close 

 over our heads. It seemed as if the big bird 

 intended to rob us of our prize; but probably 

 it was as much surprised as we. for it departeil 

 as suddenly as it came. Had it been an hour 

 earlier, and the mother and lamb separated by 

 even a few feet, the latter surely woidd have 

 been cai)tured and devoured. 



W'e ])laced oiu" captive lamb in a tiny ham- 

 mock made out of the bottom of a flour-sack, 

 d(]ul)led its feet under it, naturally, and pinned 

 the sides of the hannnock over its back. With 

 hammock and lamb hanging from Ilicks's neck 

 bv a stout cord, the head of the cajitive pro- 

 truding very demurely, we began to descend 

 toward our mountain camp. 



When about half way to camp, we saw Billy 

 about a mile off. tearing down the mountain 

 at break-neck speed, and with the glasses I 

 saw that he carried a lamb. W^e reached camp 

 shortly before him and found Andrew await- 

 ing us. As soon as he had got out of our 

 sight, the lazy fellow had sneaked back to 

 cam]), leaving Billy to follow the sheep alone. 

 Billy killed the ewe, and after an exciting 

 chase cornered the lamb. It was so overcome 

 by excitement and rough handling that it did 

 not attempt to move. After examining the 

 milk from the ewe Billy killed, and finding it 



