STALKING THE BIG-HORN. 145 
have become ingrafted in my memory. However, if will- 
ing to bear fatigue and exposure, the person desirous of 
adding them to the list of game that has fallen to his rifle 
can easily do so by following the advice I am about to give. 
Being satisfied, from tracks and other evidences, that they 
frequent a neighborhood, endeavor to discover by their 
trail from what portion of the mountain sides they descend 
into the valley to make their nocturnal foray. This is not 
difficult to find out, for this game always travels in single 
file, and generally through the same passes; their path thus 
is as easily distinguishable as that of sheep over heather- 
clad hills. Hours before break of day—for many may be 
» the weary miles of climbing before you make a détour to 
leeward, so as not to give the quarry your wind—push silent- 
ly for the most elevated ridges. If you possess a keen eye 
for locality and tracking, you will find little trouble in dis- 
covering where the game you seek most frequently resort. 
On this point being satisfied, ensconse yourself in some 
sheltered nook and wait for day, for.the sun will have com- 
menced to tint with gold the eastern sides of the hills ere 
the prey you seek will reach, from the feeding-grounds be- 
low; the elevation of your position. 
It is strange these children of the mountain only dread 
danger from beneath: thus it is that to successfully hunt 
them you must ascend into the heights they would fly for 
if alarmed; to follow them from beneath would simply be 
needless waste of time; to stalk them from above almost 
certain to produce success. At length the desired-for time 
is come: silently and well secreted, search with keen eye 
every ridge that will command a view of the valleys be- 
neath. 
Your careful survey of the country is at length reward- 
ed, for far beneath you, so far off that their outline it is 
almost impossible to define, you perceive a family party, 
7 
