92 



RECREATION. 



scarcely wide enough, in places, to afford 

 them a foothold; yet they seemed as care- 

 less and as contented as if they had been 

 on an acre of level ground. Some of 

 them stood near crevices in the rock and 

 looked as if they intended to turn and 

 take refuge in these as soon as they had 

 satisfied their curiosity as to who and 

 what we were. 



While getting into a good location to 

 photograph them we were, of course, very 

 cautious, keeping out of sight all the time, 

 fearing the least noise or a glimpse of us 



AMATEUR PHOTO BY A. E. STANFIELD. 



A DANGEROUS BIT OF TRAIL. 



would frighten the animals. When all was 

 ready to get a snap at them, we stepped 

 cut in plain sight. Instead of running be- 

 hind rocks or ridges, as we had expected, 

 they carelessly looked at us, not seem- 

 ing in the least alarmed by our sudden 

 appearance. We could plainly see they 

 were contentedly chewing their quids. I 

 made one exposure, put another holder in 

 the camera, and thought I would scare 

 them in order to get a picture of them 

 while they were scrambling over the rocks; 

 but all the noises both of us could make 

 only seemed to amuse them. Some of them 

 were still lying down when I made the 

 second exposure. 



The goats as well as the sheep seem to 

 be strangers to fear, although by the en- 

 largements we found on the bones of both 

 species, it is evident they do occasionally 

 fall. We saw an old billy sunning himself 

 one day on a small level place, on the 

 brink of a precipice, perhaps 200 feet high. 

 He was lying so near the edge that both 

 hind feet were hanging over. 



The sheep range higher in the mountains 

 than the goats do. They come down early 

 in the morning and late in the evening to 

 feed, spending the days and nights up 

 among the crags. We found it exceeding- 

 ly difficult to follow their trails in places. 

 Sometimes there is barely a toehold for 

 a trail, and to get around a man must hold 

 on with both hands, while the sheep skip 

 around with ease, on the sheer face of a 

 precipice where to fall would be certain 

 death. One of the illustrations shows 

 Mr. Pidgeon on a trail which we had to 

 pass over many times, as it was the only 

 way to get from one mountain to another. 

 These goats are the greatest rock climbers 

 of all American mammals. 



I also send a picture of our ever-faithful 

 pack dog, Tom. He was a great help 

 when we were packing out of the moun- 

 tains, as he could carry 25 to 30 pounds 

 with ease. He always wanted to go with 

 us, but preferred to leave the packs in 

 camp. 





FEBRUARY. 



One finds the days are getting longer now; 



The sportsmen's tales have been too often told; 

 The fragrant skunk leaves tracks in mud and snow, 



And men swear less about the freezing cold. 



