The morning call., 1894-05-06

their home. They dwell continually in
natures most perfect cities of refuge. and
skillful and untiring to aremarkable degree
must be the sportsman who overcomes and
eonquers the well-nigh insurmounta BILE
obstacles which attend the pursuit of this
gamy animal.
Old Mount Whitney, or Sheep Mountain
as it is now called, received its second
christening from the fact that the big
horns made its summit a favorite resort,
and its gentler slopes their feeding
grounds. So Sheep Mountain it has since
been called and so marked on the maps of
the Sierra Club of this city, which, under
the direction of John Muir and j. NJ.
Hutchings. has done so much to acQuaint
the public with the wonders and grandeurs
Of ofCalifornia's mountain regions.
During the past summer it was the good
fortune Of the writer to visit Sheep Noun
tain and vicinity. The mountain is one of
the highest in this section. From the
southwest an easy ascent may be made to
its summit on horseback, although there
is no trail, but the mountain is so gradual
in its ascent that the trip has been fire.
quently made in this manner.
The presence of the big-hOrns was
plainly noticeable at frequent intervals.
1t was in the early days of August. and
the weather was as fine as one could de-
sire in the daytime. but at night, at that
high altitude, with the glittering banks of
snow all about us, It required good num-
Der of blankets to keep in anything like q
comfortable state.
We arrived at our destination about
O'Clock 10 the afternoon, and after un-
packing our bedding and provisions at the
most suitable point for permanent camp
we turned our horses over TO our attend
ant with instructions to return to this
point each day at that hour until he found
US ready to return with him.
We saw nothing of our game on that
evening. but the signs about US proclaimed
this to be one of their recent resorts. We
vent to bed with light hearts and full of con-
fdence that the morning would afford us
the opportunity for which we were SO
earnestly seeking. 1t came-the oppor-
lunity-with the early morning. The sun
was only fairly up when Mr.. Rogers, who
had been wakeful and solicitous on ac-
count of my slow movements for some
time, whispered exciteGly: Come; the
gether. you may be assured, in an in
crediby short epace of time, and. seizng
my rife. was ready for the decisive mo-
ment Ga looking about l found that
Rogers had disappeared. | was on the
point of calling TO him when | remem bered
the fact that the game was in sight. Then
it occurred to me that il was the big-horns
that l should be looking out for, and not
my companion.
Turning my attention to this matter
was not long in catching sight of as beau
tiful and thrilling a view as ever fell under
a sportsman's eve. To my left and dis
tant not above six hundred yards, slowly
making their way down a ridge or spur of
the mountain, were ten or twelve fine
sheep led by a magnificent buck, whose
curling horns seemed 10 be the greatest
portion of his anatomy as he held his head
well up, glancing about in ell directions,
turning his head with that quick decided
movement for which the genus is notable
The whole band were never in sight at
once. the way being so uneven that for the
most part only two or three were visible at
the same time, as they would nimbly leap
upon or over some block of granite in the
way. / had not moved from the shelter of
rocks where we bad spent the night, and |
saw that it was now TOO late to attempt
any move, and hence bTeathlessly awaited
the issue, not knowing from what quarter
[ should hear Rogers rife break the ST.
lence.
Presently the magnificent leader Of the
band came to a stand, and, throwing his
head high in the air, seemed TO eaten
suspicious taint. There be was as lmmov-
able as the great granite block upon Whlch