The Lincoln County herald., 1870-12-01
Hunting Rocky Msvs,aiu shs-p.

nunllsg Rocky Msvsiain sheep.
We had been at our new camp several
days, and taken al the game we wanted,
when, one morning, ! determined "
climb the mountain peaks and have .
hunt after the famous mountain sheep.
Ny companions like the idea Of q dash
~ the "hard heads" and ws all three Sc,
out together. The sun met us a. We
toiled up the sleeps, and il Vas scarcely
half an hour high when La Fromhe, who
was 10 advance, halted and pointing 10 .
cli6 half mile distant, said, There they
sre." We looked In the direction indi-
Gated and saw . group Of four sheep walk
ing along the edge Of . precipice. They
had not yet discovered Us, and We stood
still until they passed out Of sight behind
some projecting rocks, aud then ran Is
fast - We could along the mountain side
until We we're directly under where We
had seen our game. Carefully ascending
from crag to crag, We we're not long in
coming upon their fresh tracks, and now
we crept along, looking carefully ahead
At eve,y turn. Presently La Frome
pointed to the right, aud there, standing
on . rock, scarcely two hundred yards
from us, we're three large sheep. We
each selected . sheep-La Frome taking
the one on the left, the Ssntee the one in
the middle, and I the fsrthest on the
right. Ata signal from La Froube We
cred together, and when the smoke
cleared away saw one sheep lying on the
rock. ran ss fast % I could up the
rocks, and arrived just 10 time to see the
other two big horns going around the
bluff quarter Of mile of. La Frombe
had killed his game, but the Sau,ee and
had missed our. mark. however,
noticed blood on tho stones, and knowing
that one Of the two was wounded, deter
minsd to follow them. Leaving La
Frombe and tho Santee to skin and dress
the dead animal, I climbed from raviue
to ravine and rock to rock for nearly On
hour. and had began 10 despair Of &c, ing
my game again, when l unexpectly came
upon some blood and tracks. l saw
where the sheep had lain but few min
utes before, and as there was some soft
soil At this point so could follow the
tracks, I crswled carefully along.
paused often to watch and listen. but
could see nothing, and oil was silent a.
only the vast solitudes Of q mountain can
be. I had began to descend little, with
view Of getting among some scrubhy
pines near BY. in order the better to-ihieM
myself from observation, and just a. |
reached them, saw q stately ram walk
ing slowly along . Ledge Of rocks, closely
followed BY . small eve. l was yet toe
far away to shoot with precision, and o.
they were moving slowly, and had no,
seen me, I stood still until they turned
the rock. They wore moving parallel
with me. and now hastened, under cove.
Of the pines. to ee. ahead Of them. if pos
siole. After getting one or two falls
and nearly breaking my gun and mech
over the stones, l perceived the shceE
nearly above me, and not over two hun
dred yards distant I crawled to tht
edge Of the rock, and selecting an oper
spot, where I knew tie sheep would pass
rested my gun. In . moment they ap
appeared, and when the ram came oppo
site the end Of my rife, I fred The ole
fellow dropped, rolled over, turned upor
his horns. and fell over forty feet light
ing on his head. He vas desperately
wounded, but still able to rise. As II
stcsdied himeelf for another jump I put
third ball into him, and he lay down OF
the rocks. I scrambled ap to him. su'
when be saw mo be made desperate
! efforts to get upon his feet. He lay upo,
bis side, bis great red eyes roilip
8ercely. When I went near him b
: bleated piteously, aud struck with hi
: forefect, at the same time tossing hl
. great horns ssvaeely about. l tried ia
some time to get hold Of him. not wisf
! ing to shoot him agaiu % had but "
d ch,rges lsft in my gun. aud I had loft q
!. ammunition belt behind, in order to clim
the better. Every time I spprosehed b
}, struck st me, until, finally losing m
. patience, l pounced upon him fro'
J behind, and seisiag hold Of one Of h
. horns. attempted 70 draw my hun,iu
Q knife across bic throat. Throwing bac
his head with . strength that surprise
me, he struck me with his horn on Il
y knee. aud almost broke my lea. 1t vi
= only after . severe struggle thst I v
:; able to drive ny knife into bis neck ..
- finish him.
\. When I had killed the ram I look,
"a mp, and there stood the doe, hardly af
!" yards distant. She had been looking
~ the death Of her mate, and now. even
y I looked At her, bounded uimbly sw
!. !. over the rocks. I 6red . shot after b
" but Il did not hii her, and ] sst DO,
a perfectly satisded With my ram. n.
' I wss not long 10 signaling my COZ
I panions. and presently I heard the 10
n. "tslls.hol" Of Ia Frombe, who Vas co
~ ing up the sleeps below mo.
T. Ihad my sheep skioned and dress
y by the time they came up, and the pir
atording . favorable place. ws ous
some Of the choice bits, roasted them