GAME OF THE KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA 
485 
these: (a) On the descent the loose soil 
and tumbling" rocks accelerated instead 
of retarded the progress of these sure- 
footed animals, while returning" such 
conditions had the opposite effect, and 
' (b) in the jumping down from ledge to 
ledge of animals weighing from loo to 
250 pounds, a slip or the breaking of the 
ledge was much more likely than when 
ascending a cliff, because each upward 
jump was made with the lightness and 
accuracy of a bird. 
I had noticed, moreover, that at noon 
some of the sheep often returned for a 
rest on a lower slope of the ridge. There 
was no way of making a blind on the 
meadow without alarming them all, ex- 
cept during the night, and this would 
have been a difficult undertaking, so 1 
planned getting on the ridge during the 
morning and after all the sheep had 
gone to the meadow, when there would 
be a chance for pictures in case any re- 
turned at noon and, with a greater cer- 
tainty, as they assembled toward night 
in the vicinity of the blind. 
After breaking" camp in the morning, 
Charlie continued on clown the valley 
with his pack to the cabin, while Tom 
and I left ours near the pond, where we 
intended wading the outlet stream, so 
as to reach the base of the ridge at a 
point where nothing could see us from 
the meadow. This stream proved much 
deeper and swifter than it looked at a 
distance. While not objecting to a wet- 
ting, we feared being carried off our 
feet, with the resultant injury or loss of 
the photographic outfit. It is in just 
such cases that a rifle will stand much 
more ill-usage than a camera. Nearly 
an hour was spent gathering and throw- 
ing" flat stones into the swift water until 
a secure footing was obtained. 
On reaching the edge of the ridge, at 
a point about 200 feet above the meadow, 
we could see many scattered bands of 
sheep ; but, to our disappointment, a 
dozen sheep were now coming along in 
s>ingle file toward the ridge, and were 
then too close for us to pass around and 
get in a position to meet them on their 
ascent, so there was nothing to do but 
to await developments. 
In a few minutes they had jumped the 
Creek, one lamb falling over backward 
into the water, much to the indignation 
of its mother, who stamped her feet vig- 
orously as her bedraggled offspring" en- 
deavored to climb the steep bank. With 
a single and later exception, this was the 
only time any sheep, big or little, proved 
awkward or careless. 
PHOTOGRAPHING THE SENTINEI. tW£, 
When the band finally came up the 
slope they were soon lost to sight and 
we waited until they had time to reach a 
resting place. On climbing to the rim I 
saw the flock about 200 yards to the left 
and on the same level. All were lying 
down but one, evidently the sentinel. 
After carefully studying the approach 
and figuring" on the possibilities of re- 
maining concealed, Tom assured me 
"that with ordinary crawling" agility one 
could get within 50 feet." But as Tom 
could crawl like a serpent, climb like a 
squirrel, and had the equipoise and 
jumping" ability of an ibex, his encour- 
agement was of a doubtful character. 
Experience had taught me, however, 
that while it was important not to be 
seen approaching, it was equally im- 
portant, when armed with a camera, to 
know the exact position of the animals 
in relation to the last cover sought. 
Having determined this I started on 
all fours, a mode of travel rendered 
more difficult by being compelled to push 
the heavy camera ahead. When the final 
rock was reached, I very slowly pushed 
a piece of small brush to the top of the 
rock and then raising my head looked 
through it. This method, if observed by 
animals near at hand, might excite a puz- 
zled interest, but even so is safer than 
the appearance of a human head a few 
yards away. 
The sheep were lying in a row, less 
than 20 yards off, and the sentinel ewe 
was standing, with a little lamb at her 
feet, while to ths right was a large ewe 
lying down and the rest near by. I could 
see that it was impossible for the plate 
to cover them all and be in proper focus. 
Then came the idea of getting the sen- 
tinel ewe and lamb, thus supplementing 
the picture of the big ram and complet- 
ing the family group. In a moment the 
