188 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



The stalk was very easy, and they were able to walk 

 almost to the edge of the precipice. Directly beneath, 

 standing by himself, was the father of the flock, and about 

 fifty yards further were two fine rams, one with horns 

 slightly bigger than the other. Mahomet kept reminding 

 Alan, " Eemember he is below you; don't fire over him" 

 — which, by the way, a tyro aiming downhill is very apt 

 to do — and then began to mutter prayers to Allah to grant 

 him that big beast. Whether owing to his prayers or not, 

 Alan dropped the patriarch dead in his tracks, and with 

 the second barrel hit the bigger of the other rams as he 

 galloped away. Unfortunately he was hit in the haunch, 

 and although they tracked the blood for some distance, 

 it soon grew so dark they were compelled to turn back. 



Mahomet was so delighted that he volunteered to carry 

 the patriarch back to camp, but thought better of it after 

 a short struggle in the dark. So, cutting off the head, they 

 hung the body on a small thorn tree, to save it from the 

 jackals, whose melancholy howls we could hear all round. 



The next day we went in search of the wounded ram, 

 but although we followed his track downhill for over a 

 mile, we never saw him again. In the daytime an oorial 

 hit behind is almost certain to be bagged. Having lost the 

 power to get up hill, they are compelled to descend, or 

 keep on level ground, and can be run down by an active 

 man. 



