156 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



much steeper, and very difficult; sometimes we 

 had to scramble over an immense accumulation of 

 loose debris covered with soft snow, often clamber- 

 ing over boulders of rock or along narrow ledges ; 

 again, we had frequently to cross the river on 

 natural snow bridges, which offered very precarious 

 footing, and a false step would have precipitated 

 the traveller two hundred feet into the roaring 

 abyss below. 



Notwithstanding the numerous obstacles en route, 

 we had excellent sport as we advanced, twice 

 falling in with burrul on the grass-covered slopes 

 of the hill sides ; and here I was very successful, 

 for I killed two, right and left, and broke the leg 

 of a third, which, however, got away, whilst two 

 others were bagged by rny companions. I also 

 succeeded in stalking a snow-leopard, which had 

 evidently been following the burrul, and knocked 

 him over by a lucky shot through the head as he 

 was stealing away over some craggy ground some 

 two hundred yards distant. It proved a beautiful 

 specimen, the fur being very soft and close, having 

 a whitish ground with dark spots. These animals 



