SHEEP AND GOATS 251 



corrie. The herd had been feeding towards us all 

 the time, and as we topped each ridge we expected to 

 sight them. The one on which we now lay was very 

 steep, and almost overhung the ground in front of 

 us, although fairly easy on the side we had ascended. 

 We could not see our herd anywhere ; we were 

 spying the ground over very carefully when all of a 

 sudden at our feet there was a clatter of stones right 

 below us, and the whole herd streamed out of some 

 birch scrub where they had been concealed. " Shoot, 

 Sahib ; they are going off," said Kamala. I did not 

 like the shot, for they were right below ; however 

 there was no help for it. As they stood for a 

 moment and looked about them, I picked out what 

 I took to be a good one and pulled off. Phist ! 

 went the bullet into the stones over his back. A 

 clean miss. Being nearly straight below I had not 

 aimed enough on the near side of him. I put in 

 another cartridge and let drive again as they were 

 ascending the opposite slope about 150 yards off. 

 Hurrah ! Over he went. When they reached the top 

 of the ridge they paused, as I hoped they would, and 

 I got in a long shot, and luckily grassed another of the 

 herd. Two good heads they proved to be, so, after 

 decapitating and cutting off as much meat as my coolies, 

 who had now come up, could carry, we started home. 

 Very glad were we to get to our hut, our grass 

 shoes cut to shreds, and even the leather moccasin 

 worn underneath them quite gone in the soles. My 

 feet Were so sore that I was unable to go out next 

 day, so devoted it to skinning and cleaning the heads. 



VOL. II S 



