The first time I went out, I presently discovered that there were goats in the island, which was a great satisfaction to me; but then it was attended with this misfortune to me—viz. that they were so shy, so subtle, and so swift of foot, that it was the most difficult thing in the world to come at them; but I was not discouraged at this, not doubting but I might now and then shoot one, as it soon happened; for after I had found their haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for them: I observed if they saw me in the valleys, though they were upon the rocks, they would run away, as in a terrible fright; but if they were feeding in the valleys, and I was upon the rocks, they took no notice of me; from whence I concluded that, by the position of their optics, their sight was so directed downward that they did not readily see objects that were above them; so afterwards I took this method—I always climbed the rocks first, to get above them, and then had frequently a fair mark.
De là je conclus que, par la position de leurs yeux, elles avaient la vue tellement dirigée en bas, qu'elles ne voyaient pas aisément les objets placés au-dessus d'elles. J'adoptai en conséquence la méthode de commencer toujours ma chasse par grimper sur des rochers qui les dominaient, et de là je l'avais souvent belle pour tirer.