X IN THE SHEEP COUNTRY 199 



Next morning Hanbury set off early with both his men 

 again in the direction of the glacier. I climbed the hills 

 behind the camp, and went several miles in the opposite 

 direction until I found myself looking down from the highest 

 point on to the great Kussiloff glacier. Although persever- 

 ing for several hours, we failed to see anything except ewes 

 and lambs, and towards afternoon I returned to camp. 



On the opposite range of hills we saw Hanbury returning, 

 and putting the telescope on the party I soon made out that 

 his men were carrying two big sheep-heads. 



It turned out that Willy had fulfilled his promise, and 

 after being taken down some real bad places overhanging 

 the glacier, Hanbury had bagged two good rams. He told 

 me there were more rams in the same place, but that with 

 my bad head it was hopeless to attempt getting them. 



We were now convinced that all the rams in that district 

 had got into similar places, and I decided it was best to leave 

 the ground and give it a rest, intending to return later after 

 doing some moose-hunting, when the first fall of snow had 

 come. This generally drives the sheep from the highest 

 peaks, to seek shelter and food on the lower slopes of the 

 mountains. 



There is no doubt that, for those who can really get 

 over the ground, hunting Ovis dalli affords the finest 

 sport which Alaska can offer. The magnificent scenery, 

 splendid air, and healthy exercise experienced whilst hunting 

 this wild sheep are such that the sport appeals far more to 

 the genuine sportsman than the terrible monotony of still- 

 hunting after moose in the dense forests, or even the more 

 dangerous amusement of tackling the great brown bears in 

 their haunts amongst the alder bushes and river-banks. 



The following morning at daylight tents were struck, the 



