A FIFTY-TWO INCH HORN 57 



this day for thirteen hours (too much for pleasure), and my 

 feet were very sore. I must add that about an hour after 

 leaving camp, Sharafa picked up an old markhor horn, 

 which measured fifty-two inches ! A shepherd told us he 

 had seen a flock of ten markhor two days before on the 

 left of the main stream a little below camp. 



I remained in my tent for a rest next day, sending 

 Ghariba and Mirza Khan to search for the flock seen by 

 the shepherd. They returned in the evening, having seen 

 nothing, though they came across plenty of fresh tracks, 

 etc., but about the same time Sharafa sighted a flock of 

 seven markhor on the opposite hillside, some distance up, 

 just above our camp. There was great excitement in 

 consequence — fires were put out, coolies crawled about on 

 hands and knees to get under cover, and spoke in whispers. 

 An observatory was extemporised at the tent door, and the 

 binocular and telescope were permanently focussed on the 

 animals above us. These observations began at 4 p.m. and 

 went on till 7 p.m. The single markhor seen the previous 

 evening must have been one of this lot — they were nearly 

 in the same place. They grazed down gradually in a 

 slanting direction, and came very low, evidently wishing 

 to come down to the stream for a drink, but afraid of the 

 camp. They were last seen on a hill slope, half a mile 

 from camp, up stream : but as we were below them all the 

 time, we could not stir, and watched them patiently for a 

 chance which never came. 



The markhor were in the same place next morning, and 

 we started in a very hopeful frame of mind, but had great 

 difficulty in getting along, as they were in sight, and we 

 were below them. The wind was blowing from our direction, 

 and, as we had to push along without viewing the game, 

 the stalk failed ; it could not have been otherwise under 

 such conditions. The markhor had the better of us, both 



