li)ii^ (mountain ^^u\> 



There was one long pitch that offered noth- 

 ing on which to stand and no place on which to 

 stop. Down this the old ram plunged with a 

 series of bouncing drops and jumps, — falling 

 under control, with his fall broken, checked, 

 and directed, without stopping, by striking with 

 the feet as frequently as was necessary. First 

 came three or four straightforward bouncing 

 dives, followed by a number of swift zigzag 

 jumps, striking alternately right and left, then 

 three or four darts to the right before again 

 flying off to the left. At last he struck on a wide 

 ledge, where he pulled up and stopped with 

 masterly resistance and stiff -legged jumps! 

 Mind controlled matter! This specialty of the 

 sheep requires keen eyesight, instant decision, 

 excellent judgment, a marvelous nicety in 

 measuring distances, and a complete forgetful- 

 ness of peril. Each ewe in turn gave a simi- 

 lar and equally striking exhibition; while the 

 lambs, instead of breaking their necks in the 

 play of drop and bounce, did not appear to be 

 even cautious. They showed off by dropping 

 farther and going faster than the old ones! 



25 



