212 DONG (WILD YAK) SHOOTING 



them at once. They were below the bank of the stream, 

 and we got very close, but just then the biggest buck 

 topped the bank about a hundred yards away, then there 

 was hurry and confusion, and I missed the big one. A 

 second shot, however, broke his fore leg, and a third shot 

 bowled over a smaller one at over two hundred yards. I 

 was using the Winchester again. We followed up the 

 wounded antelope for a long time, but could not find him. 



The sun was hot, I was blown and tired — and the 

 usual thing happened. How often does not the " usual 

 thing " happen ! The wounded buck had hidden himself 

 somewhere so effectually that I gave up the hunt and 

 handed the rifle to Paljour to carry. He went along the 

 ridge, I lazily following ; suddenly the antelope appeared on 

 the sky-line, on a level, but at some distance from Paljour, 

 and about a hundred yards from me. The buck stood for 

 some time motionless, and had a good look at us — tableau ! 

 We all three stood like statues. As the buck went over the 

 ridge, I rushed up for the rifle, and had six shots, missing 

 every time ; nothing under six shots would have relieved 

 my feelings. The wounded animal made for another slope 

 higher up, and I had two good hours' further toil in the 

 hot sun before he was mine ; the moral is, of course, 

 always obvious, but cui bono ? Like other fellows, I shall 

 do the same thing till the end of the chapter. 



Next day was my red-letter dong day. We left camp 

 at six to explore the upper Keipsang valley for traces of 

 wild yak ; but with little hope. We had not gone very 

 far along a kiang track when Paljour noticed the broad 

 hoof-marks of a large yak leading up the valley. He 

 decided that it was four days old, but was worth following, 

 especially as the animal was travelling in the direction 

 we were going. After a short distance the track bent 

 towards the stream flowing at the bottom of the valley, 



