Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-10-07
bounding over impossible chasms and

bounding over impossible chasms and
Jagged rocks until it becomes neccs-
sary TO make another descent, when
the same tactics arc repeated.
w. B. Dow, of the Green Mountain
Cattle Company, relates that he
saw near his ranch on Powder river.
not long ago, band OF throe hundred
mountain sheep, They were browsing
on lofty cliil, when for some unac.
countablc reason the flock became
stampcdcd and rushed away Ike the
whirlwind. On they came pcll.mcll
to tho cdgc of the cliil. which was cut
sharp into a perpendicular decline OF
fully fifteen hundred feet The lead
crs paused. but there was no help for
it, The rear guard crowded them
over. and the entire flock went neck
over heels down into space. 1t was no
doubt curious sight to see three hum
drcd mountain sheep doubled up into
balls and falling over such n lofty
prccipicc. Down they came, one after
another. until the whole band had
made the awful jump. AZ this was
such frigh,iul leap for any breathing
creature To make and live, it is not
surprising to know that thirteen ont OF
the three hundred were killed by the
conclusion. The cowboys of the ranch
secured the meat, which they declared
far superior to their choice Montana
steers.
Some of the momtain-shccp horns
attain remarkable size. One pair
brought into thi, fort last February 10y
a Cheyenne Indian measured seven
teen inches in circumference. although
only forty inches in length. The ram
from which they were taken was II
splendid specimen, weighing over two
hundred pounds, and stood, when erect
nearly up TO mans shoulders. Being
such wary animal, the following
story of the capture OF Biz Horn
by Mr.. +. L. Baker, Pennsylvania
gentleman, who has ranch near
Boulder, in the western part of the
Territory. will seem most strange and
surprising. Thc story comes we'll au-
thrnlicatcd. and there can be no ques-
ton about its vcracity. Mr.. Baker ac-
tually accomplished the singular feat
OF catching and holding by his unaided
strength wild Rocky mountain sheep
"A eve. lie came upon her at the foo,
of a Sloping bank which led up to II
steep but not very high clii' of rimrock.
His dog. ofthc shepherd breed. trained
for hunting. was following, and when
il saw the sheep pursucditup the bank
To the ella, where IL stood al bay, max
Ing demonstrations at the dog, which
WAS prompt in returning them.
Mr. Baker sent man who accompa-
nicdthcm back to the house. n quartcroi
mile away, for gun. While he was
away Baker "madc n sneak on the
sheep aud came around on top of the
cliff above the animal, whose attention
was still occupied with the dog. From
this vantage point he dropped astridc
of It's back, and grasping it around the
neck with his arm held il firmly; but
the wild dcnizcn of the mountains WAS
not To be conquered so easily, and
struggle began, in which Mr. Baker
and the sheep rolled over and over
down the bank. but were not sep
aratcd. Just as they reached the
ground where il was level the man
with the Gun arrived on horseback,
trailing behind a long sincw lariat.
Happy thought! By the aid of the
rope the mountain eve was bound and
taken to the house. But il refused To
eat and from s,raining on the rope rc-
quircd constant watching to prevent i,
from choking to death. Mr. Baker
was in hopes of getting u lamb that he
could domc>ticatc; but finding that the
eve was barren and thin in flesh, be-
sides pining for her mountain home. q
few days aftcrward he turned her
loose. when she fed toward the
mountains from whence she was capt
ured, bounding like rubber ball from
emincncc to cmincncc until lost tc
view. -Hiidiclphid Times.