204 SPORT IN CHANG-CHEN-MO 



in a stalk, and the one which must be accomplished at any- 

 cost, if success is to be achieved. We could not, however, 

 from the open nature of the slope below us, get closer 

 than two hundred yards. The nyan were all lying down 

 at their ease ; and the largest ram was the closest. We 

 had to remain watching them for more than an hour before 

 they stirred. Two then got up and began smelling about, 

 and, grazing down towards the bottom of the valley, they 

 disappeared ; the rest, except the big fellow, the laziest of 

 the lot, soon followed ; he never stirred till the others were 

 out of sight. He was evidently very stiff, for he made two 

 or three attempts before he stood up. His horns were a 

 fine pair, full sized and beautifully curved, and the tips 

 had the outward curve which gives the finishing touch to 

 a perfect head. Paljour was lying motionless on his 

 stomach in front of me ; I put the Winchester across his 

 back and took a steady aim — one inch behind the 

 animal's tail ! — this after mature deliberation, and with all 

 my faculties in good working order. It was a beautiful 

 shot, for the bullet hit exactly the point aimed at. A 

 miss is a mystery to outsiders, and the above must seem 

 the most extraordinary of them all ; but the rifle placed 

 the bullet where it was aimed, so it could hardly be called 

 a miss. The third nyan and the antelope I shot near Kiam 

 camp were both hit by the first shot in the hind leg. This 

 was caused, I imagined, by the strong wind which 

 deflected the bullet. I had had several days to consider 

 this matter, which exercised me a good deal, and having 

 determined to make good allowance for wind next time, 

 1 did so, with the result described. I must confess that, 

 although a wind was blowing, I discovered, after the shot 

 was fired, that it was not coming from the right, but from 

 the game and towards me. I cannot explain my failure to 

 notice this important detail : the wind may have changed 



