HAZARD OF THE CHASE. 281 
and the blankets which they manufacture from 
the wool. The animal, from this evidence, ap- 
pears to be of the size of our common sheep, 
of a white colour. The wool is fine on many 
parts of the body, but in length not equal to 
that of our domestic sheep. On the back, and 
_ particularly on the top of the head, this is in- 
termixed with a considerable portion of long, 
straight hairs. From the Indian account, these 
animals have erect, pointed horns,” 
The Rocky Mountain goat wanders over the 
tuost precipitous rocks, and springs with great 
activity from crag to crag, feeding on the plants, 
grasses, and mosses of the mountain sides, and 
seldom or never descends to the luxuriant val- 
leys, as the big horn does. This goat, indeed, 
resembles the wild goat of Europe, or the 
chamois, in its habits, and is very difficult to 
procure. Now and then the hunter may ob- 
serve one browsing on the extreme verge of 
some perpendicular rock almost directly above 
him, far beyond gunshot, and entirely out of 
harm’s way. At another time, after fatiguing 
and hazardous efforts, the hungry marksinan 
may reach a spot from whence his rifle will 
send a ball into the unsuspecting goat; then 
slowly he rises from his hands and knees, on 
which he has been creeping, and the muzzle of 
his heavy gun is “rested” on a luvose stone, be 
24* 
