68 MARKHOR SHOOTING 



ran over the camp by the stream where the coolies were 

 lying down ! After glaring at each other for some time, 

 we descended to camp, and the markhor ascended to theirs. 

 Language could not do justice to the occasion, and I 

 recognised it, but I was so wild that I lost my appetite ! 

 A few minutes before, my imagination had been revelling 

 in the pleasant prospect of dinner — tinned beef and 

 chapati though it was. When I reached camp, the very 

 thought of food made me sick, and I went to bed at once, 

 without a mouthful of any kind. Mirza Khan was na 

 doubt most to blame ; but he looked so miserable that I 

 had not the heart to say a word to him. He threw 

 himself on his face, and remained motionless as long as I 

 could see him. I believe he, too, went to bed without any 

 dinner. 



The weather next day was horrible, and very unusual 

 for these parts at this season. It rained till one o'clock,, 

 when we went up the main stream to have a look at the 

 ground, and saw five young markhor and several females : 

 farther on there were three large rams, but we did 

 nothing. 



We went after those three large markhor next morning,, 

 and reached the spot at nine o'clock. There was no trace 

 of them excepting a few hoof-marks, but there were small 

 markhor in sight in three different places. They were so 

 placed round us that we could not move an inch without 

 being sighted by one or other of the flocks. It did not 

 matter much so far as the small bucks were concerned, but 

 if these were alarmed and bolted, the large ones would 

 surely take the hint and bolt too. Patience and sleep 

 were the only alternatives, and eventually we returned 

 without seeing the game we were after, though we lay 

 most of the day on the very ridge where they had been 

 twelve hours before. 



