Ibex and Ibex Ground 45 



for the experienced shikari, it is not necessary for 

 animals to be on the move or even on their feet. 

 Kahmat's powers were, however, quite unique and 

 superior to anything I have seen, even among 

 those hill shikaris in whom the faculty I speak 

 of is born. 



When the afternoon became well advanced, and 

 clear purple shadows elongated themselves among 

 the hills, we began to regret the beast we had left ; 

 but as we were bound for a fresh camp, we could 

 not well go back. Then came a moment when 

 Kahmat plumped down. This time he had seen 

 a white ibex. He indicated the spot far below, 

 but even with the glasses it took me a little 

 time to find him. He was on a face strewn with 

 white boulders and a long way off, and the way 

 Eahmat had spotted him was a veritable tour de 

 force. The stalk was a longish one on account 

 of the wind. Why is it that though fox-hunting 

 people generally know too much of "bad scenting 

 days," one never seems to hit on such a day when 

 one is stalking? The reply that hounds follow 

 scent on the ground, while deer get the scent in 

 the air, shifts, but does not remove, the difficulty. 



I lay on a gentle slope. The big ibex, a solitary 

 beast, was standing on the same level not sixty 

 yards off. I showed no more of my head than 



