WAPITI AND IBEX 113 



covered with bushes about six feet high ; but the leaf 

 was now all off, and the only thick places were the 

 north sides of some little rocky ridges, where there 

 were a few scattered pine trees, the heavy forest not 

 beginning till some way further down. 



As yet there was nothing to be done till the stag 

 should settle down for the day, so we lay in a small 

 hollow behind a sheltering rock, and admired him 

 through the telescope. He was worth looking at, 

 too twelve points and a great spread of horn 

 and even the Kalmaks agreed in saying that he was 

 very big, and it may be imagined how eagerly I 

 longed for a shot, and how I hoped I might make 

 a good one when the critical moment came. 



Meanwhile, it was interesting to watch the pre- 

 cautions which this noble beast took for his safety. 

 Having finished his morning feed, he went into the 

 bushes, and stood there listening for a space, after 

 which he lay down ; but this was only a ruse, for 

 from time to time up went his head, and it was not 

 until he had shifted his position three times that he 

 finally made up his mind that all was right, and 

 went off to a small clump of pine trees to lie down 

 for the day, by which time it was ten o'clock. 



Now was the sportsman's opportunity. After 

 giving him half an hour or so to go to sleep, we 

 left one Kalmak on the watch, and having safely 

 crawled over a short space of ground which was 

 in view, we started off. Right glad was I to stretch 

 i 



