MORE BIG BUCKS. 153 



of my ambition and toil, and what I at that time coveted 

 above everything. 



After stripping the ibex of his head and skin, I reluctantly 

 had to leave most of the meat for the bears and eagles as 

 the Cashmerees would not eat of an animal that had not had 

 the " hullal " duly performed on it and descended to a small 

 sheltered plateau where we intended to bivouac for the night. 



Towards evening, as we sat preparing the head, a man I 

 had sent up to watch what remained of the dead ibex in 

 case of a bear getting a sniff of the meat came tearing down 

 the hill, gesticulating as he ran, and, on nearing us, breath- 

 lessly ejaculating " Khel ! khel ! " When his excitement be- 

 came more subdued, we learnt from him that he had seen a 

 large herd of ibex on the hillside above, and only about half 

 a mile off. Sharp is the word. The covers are at once 

 slipped off the rifles, and we are not long in reaching the 

 place whence the animals had been sighted, when, sure 

 enough, there they are, about sixteen in number, and two of 

 them grand bucks; but the ground is bad for approaching 

 them. As they are feeding towards us, we wait patiently 

 there until, at length, a keen cold wind most opportunely 

 begins to blow towards us, driving them all down for shelter 

 into an intervening corrie, and bringing them within a longish 

 range of our position. During all this time Eamzan, in half- 

 suppressed pious expressions, keeps incessantly imploring the 

 assistance of the Prophet. But now one of the does, becom- 

 ing suspicious of danger, gives her warning note. There is 

 no use in waiting longer, as the whole herd at once begins 

 moving slowly off; so I single out the finer of the two big 

 bucks, which in a few seconds falls rolling and struggling 

 down the hillside. " Shabash ! " (bravo) exclaims Eamzan. 

 " Now for the other big one." A bullet speeds after him, but 

 from want of "straight powder" he gets off uninjured. The 

 men are determined this time not to lose their spoils, for they 

 reach the fallen buck almost before the echoes of the last shot 



