362 THE IMAGE OF WAE 



I agreed. Down the hill we went, and up the 

 opposite face. It was very hot, and both of us 

 were bathed in perspiration before we reached the 

 ridge we were making for — one that ran out into 

 the valley at right angles. Here the Turk took off 

 his boots, and we continued our advance on hands 

 and knees till we made out a single ewe lying down, 

 and not much more than a hundred yards away. 

 The wind seemed to blow direct from us to her, 

 but she lay still, so the obvious deduction was that 

 there was some slight curl of air just in front of us 

 which made us safe. The one thing to do was to 

 lie still — for hours if necessary — till her companions 

 showed. I had the glass on her when, to my delight, 

 the kid joined her and she rose. I thought I should 

 see the others now, but all at once the two in sight 

 put up their heads and dashed off. When they re- 

 appeared, far up the hillside, they were accompanied 

 by four others, two being rams, and one of these a 

 big one. I looked round, and soon ascertained the 

 cause of their alarm. Mehemet, not having the 

 patience to wait, had crawled on, with the result 

 of giving them the wind. They bunched up for a 

 moment, and then dashed downwards. I got into 

 position, thinking I should get a shot after all ; but 

 it was not to be, for after a short descent they 

 wheeled round and galloped over the sky-line, the 

 big fellow leading as if he knew that his danger 

 was the greatest. I hoped, against my better judg- 

 ment, that they might not have gone far, and made 

 a long circuit right up to the border of the sanctuary, 

 never crossing their tracks, but failed to rediscover 

 them all the same. 



Thus was my second orthodox stalk — the game 



