Powell: Mountain sheep feast
On 8/11/2014 9:33 AM, Opinicus wrote:
> July 27¦
>
> Late in the afternoon, we pass to the left, around a sharp point,
> which is somewhat broken down near the foot, and discover a flock of
> mountain sheep on the rocks, more than a hundred feet above us. We
> quickly land in a cove, out of sight, and away go all the hunters with
> their guns, for the sheep have not discovered us. Soon, we hear
> firing, and those of us who have remained in the boats climb up to see
> what success the hunters have had. One sheep has been killed, and two
> of the men are still pursuing them. In a few minutes, we hear firing
> again, and the next moment down come the flock, clattering over the
> rocks, within twenty yards of us. One of the hunters seizes his gun,
> and brings a second sheep down, and the next minute the remainder of
> the flock is lost behind the rocks. We all give chase; but it is
> impossible to follow their tracks over the naked rock, and we see them
> no more. Where they went out of this rock walled caƱyon is a mystery,
> for we can see no way of escape. Doubtless, if we could spare the time
> for a search, we could find some gulch up which they ran.
>
> We lash our prizes to the deck of one of the boats, and go on for a
> short distance; but fresh meat is too tempting for us, and we stop
> early to have a feast. And a feast it is! Two fine, young sheep. We
> care not for bread, or beans, or dried apples to night; coffee and
> mutton is all we ask.
>
> - J. W. Powell, Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and its
> Tributaries (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1875), 66.
>
Recall that Powell was able to command this expedition down the Colorado
despite having only one arm.
He had lost an arm in combat during the battle of Shiloh in the Civil War.
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