220 DONG (WILD YAK) SHOOTING 



seem that tame and wild animals are apt to get mixed ; 

 but this can happen only in Tibet proper, where wild yaks 

 are so common. Paljour said that only in Tibet are 

 wild ones found with white tails. 



In the evening I returned to the camp at Trak-karpo, 

 losing a good chance of a fine antelope through the freaks 

 of a kiang. These worthless animals have an entirely mis- 

 taken idea of their own importance. When they sight 

 the sportsman, they promptly assume that they themselves 

 are the animals stalked ; but, instead of going clean away 

 like sensible beasts, they rush about in the most idiotic 

 manner and within easy range of the disgusted hunter ; 

 their temperament must be very excitable and nervous, and 

 their intelligence of a very low order. 



The cold in the Keipsang plain was getting worse daily ; 

 at night everything liquid was frozen, and there was great 

 difficulty in getting water till the sun came out, when a 

 regular transformation scene set in at once. I paid 

 a visit to Kiam camp to see about the preserving of the 

 dong's head and hide. Four tame yaks had full loads 

 carrying the hide, head, and meat, so we made an imposing 

 eutry. Yakiib was struck dumb with the magnitude of the 

 head and hide. Old Paljour had a bad half-hour in ex- 

 plaining to him, with his imperfect command of the 

 language common to both, the exciting details of the chase. 

 Yakiib was a keen sportsman. As his camp duties did not 

 allow him to accompany me, he manufactured a pellet- 

 bow out of a broken bamboo alpenstock, and went out 

 on regular hunts after the tailless rats, that abound 

 in great numbers in all grassy spots. There was no 

 lack of excitement in this novel sport, as it was really 

 difficult to stalk within killing distance of these small 

 creatures with such a weapon. He collected a small 

 heap of their pretty fawn-coloured velvet pelts. About 



