A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



down the rocks like an ibex, and said, " We shall 

 get him all right ! " " Get whom ? " said I, not in 

 the best of tempers. " Why, the shapoo, of course," 

 answered Saibra. " I shouted to you that he was 

 hit when he turned away from the flock ; didn't you 

 hear me ? " 



Now, considering that Saibra was at least half-a- 

 mile away at the time, and that Salia and I were 

 busy rolling down a hill, it was scarcely strange that 

 I had not done so ; nevertheless, it was joyful news. 

 I have to confess to having been too done to go 

 after him, so sent Ullia and Ramzahn, and they 

 brought in his head, a nice one of twenty-seven and 

 a half inches nothing out of the way, but quite 

 good enough. Whilst on our way back to camp we 

 saw a large flock of ewes and small rams, about 

 forty in number, who came down to the main stream 

 to drink, so that there were evidently lots of shapoo 

 in the nalah, and also, I should say, judging from 

 the horns lying about, many napoo. On the 

 following day we reached Upshi, and were once 

 more on the banks of the Indus. A curious thing 

 happened here whilst I was in my tent, lying on my 

 bed reading. It was about 3 P.M. when I suddenly 

 heard a rushing noise and a crash, and found myself 

 still lying on my bed, but in the open field. A 

 whirlwind, or shaitan (devil), as it is called by the 

 natives, had come past, and had taken my tent clean 

 away. My things were blown in every direction, 



an iron basin having been carried twenty yards 



228 



