The Hunting of Rahmat 23 



the range is full of gloomy gorges and precipices 

 that are the retreat of ibex, while the lower hills 

 and rounder slopes are frequented by wild sheep. 



When I first visited the Palang Koh, it had 

 the merit too rare in these days of never 

 having been shot over by any sportsmen other 

 than dark-skinned shikaris with antiquated 

 weapons from among the nomadic shepherds of 

 the country, and by few of them. But since for 

 big game generally, and especially for hill game, 

 local knowledge is indispensable, I had sent a 

 levy in advance to enlist as a guide a certain 

 Kahmat, who lived somewhere in the range, and 

 was known by reputation to be a mighty hunter. 



My setting -off point was Koh -i- Malik -Siah, 

 a desolate customs post, the very " back of 

 beyond," near the tri- junction of British Balu- 

 chistan, Persia, and Afghanistan. For transport 

 and riding animals we had camels only, as the 

 absence of supplies or grazing makes the country 

 an impossible one for horses. The " ship of the 

 desert," of course, thrives where other beasts 

 might starve, and for them there was camel- 

 thorn (I prefer the beautiful scientific name, 

 Alhagi camelorum), and other shrubs suited to 

 their peculiar internal arrangements. 



The caravan was soon winding along a faint 

 track amongst low, barren, red hills, the main 



