SHEEP AND GOATS 231 



are then on the move and can be identified. When 

 lying up for the day, even if you can find them, they 

 are generally so situated that to get within shot is 

 very difficult. I was, therefore, the morning after 

 arrival, well up on the ridge by daybreak, overlook- 

 ing a plateau covered with tufts of grass and low 

 bushes, where my hunter said we should certainly see 

 goats. So we sat down and used our binoculars. 

 Presently the shikari made a click with his tongue 

 and pointed. I made them out, moving about a mile 

 off on the ground which sloped up from the plateau 

 to our ridge. There was no chance of a stalk where 

 they were. He said they would probably feed up to 

 the ridge, and then, perhaps, lie down on the reverse, 

 which was one side of the gorge in which my camp 

 was pitched. So I waited and watched ; fortunately 

 they worked our way, and, after pottering about for 

 an hour, they all reached the edge of the gorge. 

 There they stood looking over and gazing intently 

 for some time ; they then made up their minds and 

 popped over, one after another. Now was my chance. 

 Away I went as hard as I could, my soft leather 

 " chuplies " or sandals making no noise, and when I 

 got to the place where they had disappeared, I lay 

 down for a minute to get my breath. When I felt 

 quite steady I crawled up to the edge and looked 

 over. There they were, just below me, some lying 

 down, and some standing gazing intently at my 

 camp, which lay about 2000 feet immediately below. 

 To my disappointment I found that there was not a 

 head amongst them worth having. 



