192 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



had fallen. Only very tiny scrub bushes grew around 

 us, useless to keep a business-like fire alight for long. 

 We detailed Ali and another to go foraging as soon as 

 morning did appear, and I saw them, through the flap 

 of my tent, start off in the grey dawn, astride two 

 mules, who moved through the mists like phantoms. 



Cecily and I got away before there was any chance of 

 having one of the men drafted on to us by Kenneth, 

 who perfectly revelled in arranging everybody into 

 ill-assorted lots. 



Our way lay over short grass, slippery as could be, 

 and up the spurs of the towering guardian of our 

 camp. He broke the north winds for us and held 

 back the rain clouds. 



As the sun got up the mist came with him, great 

 banks of it, with clear short intervals as the breeze 

 drove the vapour upwards. There was nothing to do 

 but sit down and pray for a dispersal, and " in the 

 chronicle of wasted time " these hours of total eclipse 

 stand foremost. Each cloud-wreath sweeping back 

 carried another on its filmy skirts. 



A real break at last ! We swept the slopes for signs of 

 game, and with the glass located two moving dots in 

 the depths below. Ibex, skipping and frolicking, 

 carrying grand heads, too. From ledge to ledge the 

 agile creatures jumped, from pinnacle to pinnacle. 

 First, one took a gigantic upward leap and the other 

 followed, then higher sprang the boldest, but a courage- 

 ous imitator was on his heels. They kept these 

 gymnastics up until we hoped they would eventually 

 join us on the heights and save us an infinitude of 



