THE WILD SHEEP OE THE SIERRA. 
5 
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HEAD OF ROCKY MOUNTAi: 
brown grass with a great whirring of wrings, 
and, ahghting -on low branches of pine or 
poplar, allow^ed a near approach, as if 
pleased to be observed. Farther on, a 
broad-shouldered wild-cat showed himself, 
coming out of a grove, and crossing the 
river on a flood-jamb of logs, halting for a 
moment to look back. The bird-like tamias 
frisked about my feet everywhere among 
the pine-needles and seedy grass-tufts. 
Cranes waded the shallows of the river- 
bends, the kingfisher rattled from perch to 
perch, and the blessed ouzel sang amid the 
spray of every cascade. Where may lonely 
wanderer find a more beautiful family of 
mountain-dwellers, earth-born companions, 
and fellow -mortals ? It was afternoon when 
I joined them, and the glorious landscape 
faded in the gloaming before I awoke from 
their enchantment. Then I sought a camp- 
ground on the river-bank, made a cup- 
ful of tea, and lay down to sleep on a 
smooth place among the yellow leaves of 
an aspen grove. Next day I discovered yet 
grander landscapes and grander life. Fol- 
lowing the curves of the river, over huge, 
swelling rock-bosses, and past innumerable 
cascades, the scenery in general became 
gradually more Alpine. The sugar-pine 
and silver-fir gave place to the hardier 
cedar and Williamson spruce. The canon 
walls became more rugged and bare, and 
gentians and Arctic daisies became more 
abundant in the gardens and strips of 
meadow along the streams. Toward the 
middle of the afternoon I came to another 
valley, strikingly wild and original in all its 
features, and perhai)s never before touched 
by human foot. As regards area of level 
bottom-land, it is one of the verv smallest 
