Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-12-15
Mistellantuas.
Hunting Rocky Mountain sheep.

Gays, anu TAKEN all lue Ssitue VIC want
ed, when, one morning, l determined
to climb the mountain peaks and have
hunt after the famous mountain sheep.
My com panions liked the idea Of dash
at the hard heads" and we all three
set out together. The sun met us as we
toiled up the sleeps, and it was scarcely
half an hour high when La Frombe,
who was in advance, halted and point
ing to a cliff half mile distant, said,
"There they are" We looked in the
direction indicated and saw group of
four sheep walking along the edge of
precipice. They hal not yet discovered
us, and we stood still until they passed
out of sight behind some projecting
rocks, and then ran as fast as We could
along the mountain side until we were
directly under where We had seen our
game. Carefully ascending f'om crag
to crag, we were not long in coming
upon their fresh tracks, and now we
crept along, looking carefully ahead at
every turn. Presently La Ere mbe
ointed to the right, and there, standing
on a rock, scarcely two hundred yards
from us, were three large sheep. We
each selected a sheep-La Frombe Ia
king the one ON the let, the Santee the
one in the mindle, and the farthest on
the right AT signal from La Frombe
we fred together, and when the smoke
cleared away saw one sheep lying on the
rock. I ran as fast as l could up the
rocks, and arrived in time to see the
other two big horns g ing around
the bluff quarter of mile off. La
Frombe had killed his game, but the
Santee and had missed our mark. I,
however, noticed blood on the stones,
and knowing that one of the other two
was wounded, determined to follow
them. Leaving La Frombe and the
to skin and dress the dead ami
NAL, / climbed from ravine to ravine
and rock to rock for nearly an hour, and
again, when l unexpectedly came upon
some blood and tracks. l saw where
the sheep had lain but few minutes
before, and as there was some soft soil
at this point so could follow the tracks,
1 crawled carefully along. 1 paused Of
ten to watch and listen, but could see
nothing, and all was silent as only the
vact soitudes of a mountain can be. l
had began to descend little, with
view of getting among some scrubby
pines near by, in order the better to
shield myself from observation, and just
as L reached them, 1 saw stately ram
walking slowly along ledge of rocks,
closely followed by small eve. was
yet too far away to shoot with precision,
and as they were moving slowly, and
had not seen me, I stood still until they
turned the rock. They were moving par
allel with me, and now hastened, under
cover of the pines, to get ahead of them,
If possible. After getting one or two
falls. and nearly breaking my gun aud
neck over the stones, l perceived the
two hundred yards distant. 1 crawled to
the edge of the rock, aud selecting an
open spot, where knew the sheep
would pass, rested my gun. In a mo-
ment they appeared, and when the ram
came opposite the end of my rifle, 1 fired.
The old fellow dropped; rolled over,
turned upon his horns, and fell over for
ty feet, lighting on his heads He was
wounded, but still able to
rise. AS he steadied himself for another
Jump put third ball into him, and he
to him, and when he saw me he made
desperate efforts 10 get upon his feet. He
ay upon his side, his gre.t red eyes
rolling fiercely. When went near him
ne bleated piteously, and struck with !
MS forefeet, at the same time tossing his
great horns savagely about. l tried for
some time to get hold of him, not wish |
ng to shoot him a. ain as had but two |
charges left in my gun, and l had left |
NY ammunition belt behind, in order to |
,limb the better. Every time 1 ap-
Droached he struck at me, until, finally |
osing my patience, 1 pounced upon
him from behind, and seizing hold of one |
IF his horns, attempted to draw my |
lunting-knife across his throat. brow |
ng back his head with strength that |
me, he struck me with his |
horn on the knee, and almost broke my |
eg. Itwas only after severe struggle |
hat L was able to drive my knife into
his neck and finish him.
When 1 had killed the ram 1 looked |
Up, and there stood the doe, hardly fifty |
Yards distant. She had been looking at |
he death OF. her mate, and now, even as
| looked at her, bounded nimbly away
over the rocks. l fired shot at her,
,ut it did not hit her, and L sat down
perfectly satisfied with my ram.
/ was not long in signaling my COM
,ani1rs, and presently I heard the long
stalla-ho!" of La Frombe, who was
coming up the steps below me.
had my sheep skinned and dressed
" the time they came up, and the pines
.ffording favorable place, We cut off
ONE of the choice bits, roasted them on
he Goals, and dined.
We were all three very tired and hav-
ng had enough ofsheep-hunting for one
lay, we rested for a couple of hours, and
hen, packing our meat on our backs.
'egan the descent. 1t was quite late
vhen we reached our camp, and as we
we're weary, and bruised by many fall
eceived during the day, we soon went
o bed.