The Washington times., 1901-07-07
ARCTIC MOUNTAIN SHEEP.
Wonderful Vitality of the Hardy
Animals Of the North.

Shot Time and Again, One of Them
Escapes From Hunters when
Finally Killed His skin Is Found
TO BE RiddIed with Bullet Holes.
As the result of the expedition to Arctic
America from which A. J. Stone. the
scientist in charge. has just returned. the
American Museum of Natural History has
received much valuable material for its
collections, and still more Is now In tran
sit. This was Mr.. Stones second tour OF
exploration. His first expedition to north
ern British Columbia. Alaska, and the
Arctic Coast was begun in July. 1897. the
expenses of the trip being paid by the
late James NJ. Constable. On that trip
he failed to obtain specimens of the wood
bison or musk-ox. both of which were
wanted for groups at the museum. To
secure these species, as well as TO supple
ment his former work. Mr. Stone UNDER
took the second expedition, from which
he stas just returned, aud in which he
was successful.
The narrative of his explorations which
Mr.. Stone has written for the Museum
Bulletin" contains many interesting anec-
dotes as well as scientific and geographic
cal data An especially entertaining ac-
count is given of the extraordinary vitali-
ty and agility of DaIrs mountain sheep
(Ovis dallD, seven specimens of which
were secured by Mr.. Stone, and viii be
mounted in a group for the museum.
An Indian came to the camp one even
ing and reported that he had shot and
crippled large sheep. but was unable to
secure it, Mr.. Stone was somewhat skep-
tical. but in the morning decided TO hunt
in the direction pointed out by the Indian,
as ne did~Rot want the crippled sheep to
perish from exhaustion and hunger. On
reaching the level top of a ridge between
two canyons. the party divided. and the
Indian went down into the left-hand
canyon, where he believed the sheep to be.
Before long he shouted and was seen go
ing up the canyon. In front of him the
wounded sheep was crawling with much
difficulty. Rather than shoot at once. and
carry up the body, the Indian preferred
to drive the animal up the incline and
then kill it. Mr.. Stone hurried TO the head
of the canyon. The sheep had a broken
hind leg and was apparently so weak
that it seemed doubtful if it would reach
the top at all. Suddenly, fifteen minutes
before it was expected. the sheep cane to
the top and stood at the edge of the
canyon. Mr. Stone fired. The animal fell.
turning completely over, but instantly
jumped up, and was of again like shot,
it's broken leg swinging like pendulum
1t disappeared down the side OF the next
canyon and stopped on jutting ledge II
shot In this position, it would have fallen
and been crushed on the rocks below.
Pursued by the white men and Indians.
the animal climbed deep cut and lay
down in a cavity. but was again dis
lodged with stones.
''As it emerged from the cavity" said
Mr. Stone, lit crept along the wall. which,
to all appearances, was almost perpendic-
ular. and continued straight on for twen-
ty-hve or thirty feet. 1t then turned
around and came back to the edge of the
cavity, and leaped down, falling as it
struck the rocks below; but it was i'm
mediately up and away, seemingly as
game as ever The Indian, who was with
in few feet of the animal at the time,
said that he could not see anything in
the shape of q projection oS the face OF
the rock for the animal to walk on. nor
could any of US at a distance of perhaps
200 yards with the aid of powerful field
glasses. I stood carefully watching every
movement of the animal. and how it was
possible for it not only to walk the side
of such a wall. crippled as it was. but ac-
tuaIy TO turn around and walk back, is
beyond my conception. for l am sure
there was no place on the face Of the
wall TO which 1 could have clung for even
a moment.
When the sheep was finally killed, it
was found that the skin and skeleton were
so injured by the shots as to be worth
less as specimens, so only the head was
preserved.-New York Evening Post.