The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-11
BIG HORN STAIRWAY.
Towering Precipices Easily De.
secluded by the WO0lly Roamer.

III Il MulU CiSdI-StOIt Is u StuiSu
specimen of the Argali or big horn sheep of
the Rocky Mountains. This animal is not
only very shy. but, having an appetite for
vegetation which can only be disco vered
among the very highest plateaus OF the
Rocky Mountains, is dweller of the crags
and cliffs. 1t is seldom it breathes more
rarified atmosphere than is found at an alti-
tude of 5000 feet. Its manner of life and
its place of living make it difficult animal
for the hunter and the Utes and other
mountain Indians in the day of the bow
and arrow looked ON the killing of a big
horn as feat. They are very scarce and
not at all prolific.
There has always been large amount of
lying about the big horn. Hunters had, for
time, some unexplainable experiences
with them. A bunch of four or five would
be seen feeding upon some high grassy
mesa or table land, which would find termi-
nation, on three sides perhaps, In pre-
ciptous up-and-down descent of several
hundred feet The hunter, ambitious and
interchangeable, would, with Infinite labor,
creeping up canyons and crawling among
rocks, come in behind them. He would
eXut in the certainty OF Shot The
big horns could not escape. A 400
foot precpice on three sides so steep
that bird could scarcely sustain itself
thereon and the hunter cutting off retreat on
the fourth, matters looked gloomy for the
big horn. Resting himself Tor moment to
recover his breath and nerve both somewhat
strained in his scramble among the rocks,
the hunter would move forward On catch
ing sight or scent of him the big horns
would amble in confident and contented
way apparently to the edge Of the precipce
and disappear. The hunter on coming for
ward would see his game racing far out in
the valley AGO feet below. How did they
get there? That was always the question
with the Western man. Ii was finally con-
cluded on all hands that the big horn
Jumped. As his four slender legs could
scarcely be expected TO sustain such
descent, the ingenious Western mind had
recourse to the big horns from which the
Argaii gets his soOriquet. These are from
four TO seven inches in diameter at the base,
and sprout in horny sprais from the
animals head much after the fashion of the
hons of that engine of destruction the COM
mon Merin0 ram. When the big horn
eapel, said these MunchausenS, he turned
head downward and alishted on these
horns. They had seen him make the trip,
they said, and they would tbereupon enlarge
Oh the downward whizzing plunge Of any
thing from 800 to 1000 feet, according TO the
mendacity of the raconteur
But the A Igall does not indulge himself
IN the fights ascrlbed TO him. He has 100
much good nSe. a jump from such heights
would smash 10 smithereeBs Il big horn made
of steel. But the matter Is not lett to doubt
Jul argument. Their manner Of descent has
been discovered and is easy enOugh-for
big horn-when once you witness it. All
through these mountains YOU will find seams
and riffs which split the precipiceS from top
to bottom. The rock has been torn asunder
by some force of nature, and the result in
many instances is a cleft OF split where the
walls are not separated twenty feet, and yet
run from the bottom 10 the top OF the Cliff
some hundreds Of 1eet. That the rock sides
were once together may be seen in the SwellS
or protuberanceS OF one wall corresponding
to the dcpreSsions in the other.
The big horn is tie prince of caution. Be-
fore he is found anywhere he has made a
complete war map of the neighboThoOd,
which lie carries locked III his woolly head.
When he dispOrts himself on some dizzy
plateau he is always certain of an outlet.
No cul de sac for him he is TOO good noun
taineer for that. Before he nibbes mouth
full of the crisp heritage he has looked up one
of these deep riffs which go down to the val
ley below. The moment he is disturbed lie
makes straight for it. Arriving at the verge
he never hesitates, but jumps boldly out
and down, aiming for the other side of the
deep crevce. This lie strikes with his four
hoofs, which are hard as east steel, and at
once leaps back for the other side. He de-
scendS perhaps fifteen or eighteen feet at a
leap, and as he could not retain foothold
for moment at any one Of the places he
strikes the rock, lie never pauSes 10 his zig
gag eapiDg until the last one brings him to the
valley hundreds of feet below. That GREY
ice is the big horns stairway, and that is
the way he observation-disclosures City Star.