THE OVIS AMMON. 



195 



Tartars, who carried about a month's supplies for 

 us on their spare yaks. Branching off to the 

 eastward we struck and followed up a small stream 

 to its junction with the Indus at Mahe, and 

 continued our way along the banks of the latter 

 river until we came to Nioma, when our route lay 

 in a northernly direction. We now crossed the 

 Saka-la Pass (16,000) and halted at Cheshul, which 

 we made a temporary head-quarters. 



We hunted in this neighbourhood five days, 

 and under the guidance of the Tartar chief had 

 excellent sport, falling in with numerous flocks 

 of burrul and ovis ammon. The finest specimen 

 of the latter animal, which was as large as an 

 ordinary bullock of the plains, Fred killed after 

 a three hours' stalk. His horns were sixteen 

 inches in circumference at the base, and forty-six 

 inches round the curve. I killed three fine rams 

 and a female, but none of them equalled in size 

 that killed by my companion. The female is an 

 insignificant looking creature in comparison with 

 the male, and the horns are not more than fourteen 

 inches in length, and but slightly curved. We 

 o2 



