SHEEP AND GOATS 239 



got up again and hobbled up the hill to the sky-line. 

 There he stood for some time, then disappeared over 

 the top. I followed as quickly as I could, but, alas ! 

 the blood had ceased to flow, and when I topped the 

 brow he had disappeared into a branch nullah, where 

 the snow had gone, melted by the sun, and tracking 

 on the stony ground was out of the question. I was 

 beaten. There was nothing for it but to run a back 

 trail to camp. I was quite done, now that I had no 

 hope to buoy me up. I had a good many rough 

 spurs to cross before I got on to the steppe, but at 

 last I dropped down into a nullah that led on to it. I 

 had nearly got to the mouth when there was a rattling 

 of stones right above me. I looked up, and there, 

 well within shot, stood seven grand rams staring right 

 at me. Fortunately, my rifle was loaded. I had time 

 to unsling it, and got in a shot as they stood. I 

 bowled one over. Off they went best pace down the 

 hill. I got in the other barrel, but missed, while 

 number one rolled down the slope to my feet almost, 

 and there lay. I felt a new man and game for any- 

 thing ; a moment ago I had been a worm. Such is 

 sport. He was a beauty. I covered him with stones 

 and burtza scrub, and went back to camp, which I 

 reached without difficulty. It was rather late to go 

 back to seek dead, and, indeed, I had done quite 

 enough for one day. 



The next morning I went ofF early with a couple 

 of ponies, and brought in my beast, which I found 

 safe and sound where I had left him over-night. We 

 hunted with varied success in the Taghdumbash, and 



