Just before I left the locality the old priest of the temple showed me the 
horns of a goral (Urotragus galeanus), and told me that this animal was to be 
found on a high peak some five miles away. I could not leave without 
making an effort to secure a specimen, so decided to postpone my departure 
and visit the peak in question. I was successful in my hunt. Taking a 
native with me to carry my shot-gun, in case some small animal presented 
itself, 1 went up the ravine, and after a hard climb reached the summit of the 
peak, where, perched at an altitude of about 4000 ft. we found a quaint 
Buddhist temple. The top of the peak was conical in shape, and covered 
with cypress and other conifers. A long and steep flight of stone steps led 
up to the temple. The priests told me that there were several gorals living 
on the peak free from persecution ; they themselves as Buddhists, not being 
allowed to take life. However, they had no objection to my killing these 
animals, which habitually fed upon the little patches of wheat: and maize 
kept by the priests half-way down the mountain slope. 
In a scramble through the woods round the sides of the peak we soon 
put up a handsome goral, which bounded up the steep slope with wonderful 
agility, and made its escape round the top of the peak. Its tracks after 
rounding the peak vanished over the edge of a precipitous peak, which fell 
away almost perpendicularly for hundreds of feet. Carefully I climbed down 
making use of the little cypress trees that sprang from the cracks in the rocks. 
When about half way down I heard something scrambling above and to the 
left of my position. I looked up and once more caught sight of the goral 
climbing towards the top of the precipice. Balancing myself with one foot 
on a ledge, the other on the trunk of cypress, empty space beneath me, I 
took a rapid aim, and fired just as he gained the top of the cliff. I missed, 
but the animal passed within twenty yards of my bearer, who was lying 
exhausted from the severity of the climb and chase. He heard my shot, and 
looking up saw the goral. He let drive with a dose of buckshot, killing the 
animal on the spot. 
The goral, of which there are many species, is a goat-like animal that 
inhabits, in China, the highest and rockiest mountain-ranges of the central 
and western provinces. It is a daring climber, bounding up precipitous 
cliffs that a man would hesitate to attempt. The present species differs 
but little from the Yang-tzii form. In appearance this goral is something 
between a goat and an antelope. It has thick heavy legs, with large hoofs, 
a slight crest down the neck, and small, sharply sloping, and very pointed 
horns. It is of a dark-grey colour, with cream-coloured legs, and a creamy 
patch on the throat. 
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