SHARAFA KILLS A SNAKE 65 



among some rocks : there was great hurry and excitement 

 getting the rifles out of their cases, but no buck appeared. 

 We went up higher and higher, and at last crossed the 

 dividing ridge where the markhor was seen last evening ; 

 there was no sign. Along the hillside up the valley the 

 ground was very bad and very slow-going, — precipices and 

 rocks, — but just the place for the game we were after. 

 Some more females were in sight and two bucks with very 

 small horns ; shortly after two more, but not worth 

 stalking. One of these was lying on a rock just under us, 

 but out of range ; he was looking down the valley with 

 a most steady gaze, never dreaming that his greatest 

 enemy was above him. Sharafa made a slight noise, and 

 the buck vanished like a phantom, and we never saw him 

 again. This youngster had a dirty white coat similar to 

 the buck I shot in the Garai. These animals, like all hill 

 game, watch downwards and listen upwards, the organs 

 being admirably placed for the purpose. During the 

 whole of this dangerous journey we saw nothing more, and 

 descended to the bottom of the valley over ground worse 

 than any I had crossed during the day — and that is saying 

 a good deal. We did not go over much ground, but it 

 was slow and dangerous work for the latter half of the 

 day. 



N"ext morning we were out again at six, bound for the 

 ridge where we saw the large miirkhor yesterday — those 

 that had crossed our path a short time before we came up. 

 An ascent of three hours to the top gave us a sight of 

 their tracks, but nothing more. Sharafa killed a large 

 snake (viperous) among some rocks, catching it by the 

 back of the neck. He said he was not afraid, as he knew 

 a mantar (charm) that would protect him even if bitten. 

 Many natives pay for their belief in a mantar with their 

 lives, but faith in the potency of charms survives. 

 5 



