190 A RACE FOR A SHOT. 



hark ! something has detached a stone up on the steep hill- 

 side to our left, and we have barely time to crouch down 

 among the rocks on the ridge ere a hoary old buck, with 

 a huge pair of cork-screws on his head, shows himself for a 

 second or two, as he crosses a bare spot among a lot of birch 

 bushes some three hundred yards distant. Five or six 

 others of equal size follow closely in his wake. These must 

 certainly be the beasts whose heifer-like tracks we saw 

 below, and they are evidently on their way down to feed. 



The ridge is so craggy and steep that it will take all we 

 can do to clamber down and intercept them before they get 

 near our bivouac, where they must certainly detect the men 

 left there, for the beasts are making straight downwards in 

 that direction. 



Off we start under cover of the ridge as fast as the 

 ground will allow of, passing the rifles from hand to hand 

 down the more precipitous spots, and every now and then 

 peering over at the markhor, upon which we do not appear 

 to gain an inch, but if anything lose distance. Presently 

 we reach a bit of more practicable ground, where we are 

 able to travel faster, and when we again reconnoitre the 

 animals, we find we have succeeded in getting a little ahead 

 of them. There is no time to lose, however for, as far as 

 I can judge from the direction they are taking, they will 

 pass us at about 130 yards, and if we let this chance slip 

 they are lost. 



I have scarcely got into position for a shot before they 

 are abreast of us ; but the birch bushes are so thickly 

 scattered over the steep hillside, that we only catch occa- 

 sional glimpses of the animals as they move amongst them. 

 Taking advantage of a convenient bit of rock for a rest, I 

 let drive at the first buck that shows himself. He fortu- 

 nately happens to be a beauty. To my intense concern, he 

 only acknowledges the shot by a spasmodic movement of 

 his short tail, as he turns round and slowly retraces his 

 steps up through the brushwood. Quickly exchanging the 



