184 A WILD TABLEAU. 



branches, until I begin to think the falling stone must 

 have been loosened by the rain. But listen ! again the 

 rattle of loose stones, and this time much nearer. Oh for 

 a break in the dense mist that is scudding past, to give us 

 a sight of the markhor, which, there is now no doubt, are 

 on their way down to where they fed in the morning ! At 

 last fortune seems to be going to favour us, for the rain 

 ceases, and the pall of cloud is gradually lifting, as rock 

 and tree above begin to loom indistinctly through the flying 

 vapour. 



" Look ! " again whispers Gamoo, his voice trembling with 

 excitement, as he points in the direction of several tall pine- 

 trees on a ridge some distance from and considerably higher 

 than the spur that conceals us. About a couple of hundred 

 yards beyond two of their massive stems which form, as 

 it were, a kind of huge rustic framing such a truly wild 

 tableau as seldom is witnessed becomes gradually disclosed 

 to view. The undefined form of a stately markhor is 

 emerging like a spectre from the mist, slowly wending 

 his way downward. He is immediately followed by an- 

 other, and yet another, equal in size to himself, whilst a 

 string of smaller animals bring up the rear. As the leader 

 reaches a broad ledge jutting out under a dark beetling crag, 

 he wheels suddenly round and butts at one of his big fol- 

 lowers, which, with lowered head, is ready to receive him. 

 After a tilt or two, the leading buck advances to the brink 

 of the ledge, where he gazes proudly about him for a short 

 time, and then lies down with a listless confident air, as 

 if quite satisfied with the security of his exalted position. 

 How noble he looks, as he reclines there with his grand 

 head towards us, his massive horns standing out in relief 

 against the dark background of overhanging rock ! I can 

 almost count the hairs of his flowing beard as I watch him 

 through the glass. The remainder of the herd have all 

 trooped down behind him, and form an almost supernatural- 

 looking group of wild beings, which seems to dissolve gradu- 



