A BOOTLESS SEARCH. 333 



circumstances were not of the liveliest order, were inter- 

 rupted by the sound of footfalls, and on looking round, I saw 

 my cook approaching with the men who carried the kiltas 1 

 containing breakfast. After appeasing my appetite, which 

 had not been so much affected as my spirits, we skirted along 

 the shore of the lake, and camped at its southern end. 



For the two following days we wandered high and low over 

 these desolate hills, which I found to be a great deal steeper 

 than they had at first looked. Carefully did I scan every 

 hillside, glen, and corrie through the telescope, without a 

 living thing appearing in its field except kiangs, or an 

 occasional marmot as it sat basking near the entrance to its 

 burrow. Not even a fresh mark of an Ovis did we see to 

 encourage us. The animals had evidently shifted their 

 ground, so we resolved to follow their example. 



With this intent, next morning, leaving instructions for the 

 traps to be brought on some distance behind us, in case of 

 our meeting with game, we were on the move shortly after 

 dawn. We had crossed a high ridge, and were descending a 

 gentle slope beyond it, when one of the dogs, which, being 

 little more than a puppy, his owner did not think it necessary 

 to tie up, suddenly showed signs of more knowledge of his 

 calling than he had been given credit for. This young beast, 

 that answered to the name of Lukkur or rather ought to 

 have done, so was now drawing ahead, apparently on the 

 scent of something, and neither the persuasions nor the 

 threats of his master had any power to stop him. We had 

 not proceeded many yards when, on the face of a low spur 

 that had hitherto been hidden from our sight, we descried the 

 cause of Master Lukkur's movements. A flock of seven male 

 Oves were standing huddled together, evidently watching the 

 dog, which had disappeared in a hollow lying between them 

 and us ; and almost immediately the sound of his bark was 

 followed by the herd scampering wildly over the crest of the 



1 Baskets made for carrying loads on the back. 



