MARK THREE BUCKS 93 



A path runs along its bank to the top of the ridge, beyond 

 which is the Chilas viUage of Khincr, about six miles 

 distant from the goat-shed. According to Mirza Khun, 

 Khiner is the village next in importance to Chilas itself. 

 I horrified Mirza Khan when, in the extremity of despair 

 in the goat-hole, I proposed walking across to visit Khiner. 

 Boin is divided by a ridge from Husharai ; the former 

 looks much the more promising as ibex ground, and, as I 

 v/as certain there were some good bucks there, I resolved 

 to return to my former hunting quarters, and sent Jamala 

 down to bring the coolies and traps round. I had time 

 for only another week's shikar before my return tramp 

 must begin, and I meant to make the most of it. After 

 breakfast I went down the spur into Boin valley. I had 

 not gone far when a hurricane of wind, snow, and sleet 

 came on, and I had to crouch behind a rock not much 

 larger than myself on the bare hillside ; there was no 

 other cover except a few thin and scattered birch-trees. 

 I stayed there till I became hopeless of the storm abating, 

 and then made straight down for camp instead of going 

 along the hillside towards the head of the valley ; thus we 

 were obliged to abandon the exploration of a most likely 

 portion of ibex country. I had not gone far when the 

 storm suddenly came to an end, and I regretted much 

 having come down so soon ; but a providence directs the 

 movements of a solitary sportsman as well as the march of 

 nations. Sitting on the hillside and scanning the central 

 ridcfe of Boin where T had shot the ibex, Mirza Khan saw 

 three huge bucks towards the end of the spur, in the 

 direction of camp ! Had the shower not driven us down 

 so low, we must have missed seeing them. Two of the 

 ibex were grazing, and the third was lying near a large 

 fiat white stone, a capital mark to guide the stalker ; he 

 was a few yards above the other two, and had the largest 



