A CRAWL OVER THE SNOW. 247 



for the wounded bear had returned without having found a 

 trace of it. 



As the day was still young, I proposed to Gamoo that we 

 should take a turn in an adjacent birch wood, on the chance 

 of finding a musk-deer or a bear. Hatha, who seemed quite 

 hurt at the idea of being left behind on account of his mishap, 

 insisted on accompanying us. Thinking there would be little 

 or no chance of seeing markhor in the direction we were 

 going, I took with me only the short double rifle, as being 

 more handy than the long Henry in the event of getting a 

 snap-shot at anything in the wood. 



After beating through the wood, we emerged on to a gently 

 sloping bed of hard snow, about a hundred yards broad, that 

 extended far up between steep, rugged, and partially pine-clad 

 acclivities, until it terminated among a wilderness of bald 

 grey rocks and huge snow-capped crags that towered aloft at 

 its head. Although the sun had sunk behind the high sky- 

 line of the mountains, it was still early to turn our steps 

 campwards ; so I suggested a stroll up this long stretch of 

 snow, in the hope of meeting with some old bruin out for 

 his evening promenade. 



We sauntered carelessly along for some time, taking an 

 occasional glance up towards the wooded slopes and crags 

 on either side, when, with a suppressed exclamation, down 

 crouches Gamoo on the snow, and in a second Hatha, 

 Sultana, and myself are prostrate beside him. Not a syl- 

 lable is spoken as we crawl on all-fours over the snow-bed, 

 until we get close under the steep hillside rising from its 

 margin, when Gamoo points in the direction of the grey rocks 

 ahead, and whispers " Markhor ! " 



As the rocks are a long way off, I am unable at first to 

 make out what Gamoo's keen sight has detected ; but at 

 length my eye rests upon a motionless V, which, even far 

 away as it is, looks gigantic. I am afraid, however, from the 

 jabbering whispers and doubtful glances that are exchanged be- 



