A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



feet above us, a single ram had, as already described, 

 appeared against the sky-line, standing motionless 

 as he gazed down into the valley ; he was accom- 

 panied by three ewes and a lamb. As, at that time 

 we were intent on nyan, we let him be, and on the 

 following day saw him again near the same spot ; 

 this time we also espied a large flock of napoo upon 

 a precipitous crag on the other side of the valley. 

 These latter, however, were a long way off, and 

 being far above us, and on a slope of bluish-coloured 

 shale, it was impossible to make out through the 

 glass whether there were any big rams amongst 

 them or not ; accordingly, as it was now late in the 

 evening, we left them. Two days later, after a lazy 

 morning in camp, I had taken my shot-gun in the 

 afternoon, and had been up a side nalah, in quest of 

 hares and snow-pigeons, when, as I was returning 

 homewards, I suddenly espied five napoo grazing 

 on the mountain slope immediately above me, and 

 on the same side of the valley as the camp. 

 Hastily we got out of sight, and giving Ullia my 

 pony, I told him to gallop off to camp, and send 

 Salia and my rifle. Before long they arrived, and^ 

 as by this time it was getting dark, we began a hasty 

 stalk straight up the hill towards the napoo who 

 were immediately above us, taking advantage of 

 the cover afforded by a little watercourse which led 

 up towards them. At length, panting for breath, I 

 cautiously raised my head, and was at the same 

 moment observed by the napoo. The only ram 



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