Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-11-27

that next morning we would take the
horses and make quick push for the
chain of high buttes where we had
seen the fresh tracks, and hunt them
through with thorough care.
We started In the cold gray OF the
morning and pricked rapidly off over
the frozen plain. columns of white
steam rising from the nostrils Of the
galloplng horses. When we reached
the foot Of the hills where we intended
TO hunt and had tethered the horses.
the sun had already risen, but 1t was
evident that the clear weather OF fort
night past was over The air was thick
and hazy, and away off In the north
west towering mass Of grayish white
clouds looked like a weather-breeder;
every thing boded a storm at no dis
tant date. The country over which we
now hunted was wilder and more
mountainous than any we had yet
struck. High. sharp peaks and ridges
broke of abruptly into narrow gorges
and deep ravines; they were bare of
all but the scantiest vegetation, save
on some Of the sheltered sides where
grew groves of dark pines, now laden
down with feathery snow. The climb
ing was as hard as ever. At first we
went straight up the side OF the tallest
peak, and then along the knlfe-like
ridge which Joined It with the next.
The ice made the footing very slippery
as we stepped along the lodges or
crawled round the Jutting shoulders,
and we had to look carefully for our
footholds; while In the cold thin air
every quick burst we made up a steep
hill caused US to pant for breath. We
had gone but a little way before we
saw fresh signs OF the animals we
were after, but 1t was some time be-
fore we came upon the quarry itself.
We left the high ground and de-
scending into narrow chasm walked
along Its bottom. which was but O
couple OF feet wide, while the sides
rose up from It at an acute angle.
After following this for few hundred
yards, we turned sharp corner, and
shortly afterward our eyes were
caught by some grains OF fresh earth
lying on the snow In front of our feet.
On the sides, some feet above our
heads. were marks in the snow which
a moments glance showed us had been
made by a couple OF mountain sheep
that had come down one side of the
gorge and had leaped across to the
other, their sharp toes going through
the thin snow and dlsplacing the earth
that had fallen to the bottom. The
tracks had evidently been made just
before we rounded the corner. and as
we had been advancing noiselesly on
the snow with the wind In our favor,
we knew that the animals could have
no suspicion OF our presence. They
had gone up the cliff on our right, but
as that on our left was much lower.
and running for some distance parallel
TO the other. we concluded that by run
ming along Its top we would be most
certain. to get good shot Clambering
Instantly up the steep side. digging my
hands and feet into the loose snow,
and grasping at every little rock or
frozen projection, reached the top;
and then ran forward along the ridge
few PAGES, crouching behind the
masses OF queerly- sandstone;
and saw, about ninety yards of across
the rayine, a couple Of mountain rams.
The one with the largest horns was
broadside toward me. his sturdy, mass
i've form outlined clearly against the
sky. as he stood on the crest OF the
ridge. | dropped on my knee, raising
the rife as | did so; for a second he
did not quite make me out, turning his
head half round to look held the
sight fairly on the point just behind
his shoulder and pulled the trigger
At the report he staggered and
pitched forward. but recovered himself
and crossed over the ridge out OF sight.
We jumped and slid down into the ra-
vine again, and clambered up the Op-
poSite side as fast as our lungs and
slippery ice would let us; then taking
the trail OF the wounded ram we trot.
taJ sinng Wn ha1 not for 10 ,,o. Gov