250 A SHOOTING TRIP TO KAMCHATKA 



reached the terminus of our stalk, for further advance 

 meant certain detection. As I carefully peeped over 

 the small boulder, I found the rams at the same 

 place about three hundred and fifty yards away. They 

 seemed as yet too far for a safe shot, and on consult- 

 ing the General, who was busy brushing off mosquitoes 

 from his face and cap, he shrugged his shoulders as if 

 to say that he would assume no responsibility what- 

 ever in the question, and that it was folly to fire at 

 such a distance. Nevertheless, I resolved to take the 

 chance, my self-reliance being put to so severe a test. 

 Raisinor the two-hundred-vard sioht and drawinir a full 

 bead, I took a steady aim at the biggest ram and fired. 

 The three animals stood up instantaneously and dashed 

 frantically towards us, while the echo of the report 

 still resounded in the gullies below. None of them 

 seemed hurt by my first shot, as I watched them 

 approaching. When they were well within a hundred 

 yards of my rifle, again I pressed the trigger, dropping 

 the first one dead, while I finished off the second ram, 

 which slid down the snow to the bottom of the corrie, 

 I must here confess that in my excitement I was un- 

 able to withhold another shot at the third animal — 

 a four-year old — as he was disappearing over the sky- 

 line, but luckily missed him clean. As I taped them 

 on the spot, I found that their measurements ex- 



