i8o NYAN (OVIS AMMON) SHOOTING 



after a long hunt. There was no cover, and we could not 

 manage to get down even to the plain ; the mountain 

 slopes were perfectly smooth, without a single friendly- 

 undulation, and the plain below was like the palm of one's 

 hand. The game became suspicious — probably they saw 

 us on the sky-line — at anyrate, they crossed the valley 

 to the opposite hills, without the least hurry. This seems 

 a characteristic of all wild sheep : unless very hard pressed, 

 they are dignified and slow. As regards nyan, they always 

 have such an extensive view over the country they frequent, 

 that they have ample time to get out of the way, without 

 over-exerting themselves. Even after they have been fired 

 at, though they will go off at a hard gallop they soon slow 

 down ; and, as long as they have the danger in view, will 

 not mend their pace, though they may go long distances 

 before lying up again. The seven I was after having 

 crossed the crest of the opposite range, we descended into 

 the plain and followed their tracks. They were not visible 

 when we reached the sky-line, but their tracks showed that 

 they had gone towards the left, across a low spur, into a 

 dip where they had evidently come to a stand. A troop 

 of kiangs was just below us ; we waited some time for them 

 to get out of the way, but they showed no intention of 

 doins so, and, as I was not inclined to lose much time on 

 their account, we attempted to pass them. The moment 

 we came within their view there was a great commotion ; 

 they threw up their heads, cocked their ears, and trotted 

 round us in true asinine fashion, most irritating to behold, 

 and then they went straight up along the track of the wild 

 sheep. The inevitable happened. When we reached the 

 crest of the spur, the nyan were on the next sky-line, 

 right ahead of us, and the rascally kiangs were gallop- 

 ing down to our left, making for the large plain we 

 had ci-ossed a while ago. This was my first introduc- 



