237 



departed. As we lay there, uncertain as to what our next 

 move should be, I noticed that old Changter's countenance 

 brightened up, and his wandering eyes suddenly became 

 fixed. Turning his head slowly towards me, he drew my 

 attention to some animals near the mouth of a small gorge 

 some 400 yards off, and whispered "Nian" (Ovis Amman). 



For the moment the antelopes were forgotten as the spy- 

 glass was directed on the nobler animals, but those in sight 

 turned out to be ewes ; and as Changter assured me that at 

 this season there was little chance of finding old rams and 

 ewes in the same flock, my disappointment was considerable, 

 though I would fain have believed him to be wrong in this 

 instance. He was right, however, as was proved when the 

 beasts got our wind, and the herd, which consisted only of 

 three ewes, sped away up the gorge and disappeared. 



As the sun was still pretty high, we decided upon moving 

 a little farther up the glen on the chance of again finding 

 the antelopes. We were descending the sloping bank with 

 the intention of getting back into the stream-bed, when we 

 heard a clatter amongst the loose stones. To our astonish- 

 ment we beheld a fine buck antelope coming galloping to- 

 wards us along the slope, and apparently so bewildered by 

 something that had scared him that he failed to observe us 

 until he got within fifty yards, when, suddenly detecting us, 

 he wheeled sharp round. I had only time to snatch my 

 rifle from Changter and take a snap-shot, before the animal 

 disappeared over the brow of the rise above us. Although 

 he showed no signs of being hurt, I thought from the sound 

 that the bullet had struck him. Quite forgetting the great 

 height we were at well over 17,000 feet I ran back 

 quickly up the slope, and on reaching the top saw the buck 

 standing within twenty yards, his drooping head showing 

 how sorely he was wounded ; but I was quite incapable of 

 using my rifle. There I was obliged to lie down, gasping 

 for breath, with my heart beating as if it were ready to 

 burst, whilst the buck moved slowly off, gradually increasing 



