THE EOCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 381 



would get up, stare at me for a few minutes, and then run, 

 usually toward the creek. One band of ten danced ajong 

 ahead of me for nearly a mile. They would ran fifty or a 

 hundred yards, then stop and look at me; nibble the grass 

 or shrubs until I came near them, and then bound away 

 again. Finally, they seemed to tire of my society, and 

 sailed away right through the Sheep-pasture. All this 

 hegira of the Deer alarmed the Sheep"; they became restive, 

 and moved nervously about. I frequently peered- over a 

 ridge or through a thick clump of trees and watched their 

 movements, but was careful that they should not get a 

 glimpse of me. I was also careful to keep to the leeward, 

 or at least across the wind from the game, so that they might 

 not scent me. 



One by one the smaller bands finally took the alarm 

 from the fleeing Deer, stampeded, and ran away; but the 

 larger band, seeming to feel more confidence in its videttes, 

 stood its ground. Nearly all the herd went into a deep 

 draw to escape the cold, raw wind that was now blowing, 

 and laid down. I felt sure of getting within easy range of 

 them. I passed on through a strip of down timber, then 

 over several wide beds of broken and disordered porphyry. 

 Having got opposite the pocket in which I had last seen the 

 Big Horns, I now started to crawl directly toward it. I 

 hoped to get on the brink of the hill above them, and to 

 pick out and kill the best ram in the flock, before they 

 became aware of my presence; but I still kept jumping 

 Deer, every one of which ran by the Sheep, and some of 

 them right through the herd. 



When at last I reached the brow of the hill, removed 

 my hat, and cautiously peered through the grass on its 

 apex into the draw, there was not a Sheep in sight. Exam- 

 ining the ground, I found a great many tracks, all indicating 

 that the animals that made them had hurriedly fled to the 

 north. Silently following them up to the head of the 

 ravine, over a barren, rocky ridge, and through a narrow 

 strip of stunted timber, I saw them in the middle of 

 another small park. They had again apparently relapsed 



