The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-12-27


tain Game-A sight That Can't IS Beat.
Thirteen mountain sheep in a month in the
Sierra Madres; what do you say 10 thatT
asked a local sportsman of the Pasadena
correspondent OF the San Francisco CLron-
icle II have followed these animals for
weeks" he continued, I'm the most inacces-
sibe portions OF the continental divide and
had a much luck a. this at j. too much
luck said one Of the group; they won't
last, though few sportsmen care % follow
them for any length of time owing 10 the
terrible country over which they rum
NATURE OF THE MOUNTAIN GAME.
The geographical range OF our species is
wide, being found from Alaska % Mexico, the
inaccessible mountains Of New Mexico, the
Bad Lands OF the WLlteriyer, Little Missouri,
etc, being famous places for them. In nearly
all these place, the animal is wary and diff
cult 10 approach, and the sportsman who
makes bag may consider that be has won
his spurs.
The point about which these animals con.
gregate in the Sierra Madrc, seems 10 be the
slopes of Mount san Antonio, the loftiest
peak in the vicinity of Los Angeles, and per-
haps forty miles distant as the crow dies.
About this mountain and its raui.ying
ranges the mountain sheep makes It's home,
ranging up 10 high attitudes iu summer and
coming lower down as the peak becomes GOV.
cred with snow, "a it is at present. They are
found in flocks OF from three or four up 10
twenty, the Old rams generally consort!nS to-
gether, the females aud others keeping 10y
themselves.
"One Of the most exciting incidents Of my
life.n said an old hunter in the San Gabriel
valley, "was ON the slopes OF that old noun
tain, pointing 20 Old Badly, "anl after these
mountain sheep That was year, ago, when
a tenderfoot was such rarity that If YOU
could have put one in "A cage you'd have
made your fortune showing him around in
Los Angeles.
IL had a man working for me Who had
been IA raucher up in Montana, but the In
diaus made way with his family and he had
wandered down my way and stuck tD me.
lie was a great band for mountains, would
go of and stay there for a week at a time,
sort Of hermit like, and ueyor thought any
thing Of 1t. When he came back from one Of
these trips he said he had seen band of
mountain sheep, the same he had shot in the
northern country, and nothing would do but
that he must take his rifle and 30 of on a
hunt. ] concluded TO take a hand myself,
SO, packing our blankets, OF we started fixed
for "A week.
1--WE struck up the big canyon over yon.
der, followed 1t up for ten miles, then we
turned of, and the second day We were az
the foot Of Old Baldy. Did YOU ever climb
III Noi Well, take my advice; try it be-
fore you die. You can stand on the summit
and see n sight that can't bc beat on this
continent On one hand you have a desert,
on the other the farest land the sun ever
shone upon with It's orange groves aud yiue-
yards.
1--WE started up the mountain very carly
IN the morning Dickson took the leal-hcd
been there many times before, and know AL
about it followed along. lie called 1t a
trail, but 1t lei over bowldnrs aud rocks
that VOW no mortal but himself bad ever
been over The course led around the
mountain, taking IA in circular direction,
aud reckon "c bad trampfd five miles with
out saying word when Dickson stopped and
dropped behind rock and J followed suit.
lie had seen mountain sheep, Doe said, and
thought There were oth"rss ! looked around
the corner OF tEe rorG, and sure enough,
about half "a mile away, after time saw
something standing on roca that looked like
a sheep, o7 far "a, ! could tell To make a
sure thing b!'a 'n sail he would go up and
around INTO i7u-c ANA vas q" go be.p" aui
'lnle agreed upon "e began tp glide away
slowly ana carefully, Keeping behind tue
rocks SO that the animals would not see Us,
nud Z" the lc"NaId 30 lH1t the scent would
not give us away. In i"" minutes ] lost
SIGHT OF Dickson anu hai i' WrN my own
way. kept ..-at 81 the "Him'i, ana when
fairly near II s1" iAat "a. burA on ram,
with great horns covering almost the entire
mead As tue OH reno" r,''i OUT against
the SKY he presented "a noble appearance, |
can tell YOU. expected cFciN moment 10
hear the crack ~ bras'aa riu', but ~ did
not come 50 ] TOOK th' sHpt myself, ana Hs
the smoke BILE" away saw the uiS ram leap
INTO the arr ana disappear.
II 4 h'JNIAlN CAGE
Loading mp, 'iamutF'd over i"e rocks,
lowering myself over some ani climbing
others unth hna.'y reached TIE uo"asr on
which the game hal stood j. was sucit
that extended out over tue SIDE oi ne mount.
am ana as J. cicpt und'r It ] got g"ml7e oi
lhe ram Hs nan F'i'l "H'h suu'H' or
iaIIen dp"h a''ut MY Ieet' ana I'i.ea INTO
crack or cre''ce ln ols Do".ier. dId
not stop 20 thiAh' but l'.d nay ilh'' canteen
ana blanket on ths T'l"'' S'i over the edge
ana shd down. ana j can TEL 5'u "e"i IKE
rocket IaiiI.d All I.' a A''p on 'Ne RAM
ahH TOT minute '' 30 '"t ,i.i' l''"'Hs q,
Tue hi~ hNrh- onH WONDERING N'N lN'y "'.'A
look over my a'9r. c'ull i.i "it tue b'1y,
II weighed Wen on 70 iHr.e hln'rel AMI
twenty pounds lAen ~ ui.1'H INTO my
- id That ! could not maui 10 out any way
uud, worse and wOr-e, after ] gave "a couple
II looAs up the rock. came ~ the c0nclu-
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