THE ISLANDS OF SARDINIA AND CORSICA. 15 



The spot we chose for our camp was a lovely one, in 

 a valley lying east of a curious tower of rock on the 

 summit of a mountain, resembling a ruined castle on 

 a gigantic scale, marked " Perdaliana " in the maps, 

 shut in by steep hills on three sides, which were 

 clothed with myrtles, arbutus, and other plants. Our 

 tent was shadowed by a huge ilex with charred trunk 

 and gnarled roots. Having deposited the baggage 

 safely, and left three men in charge of the animals, we 

 proceeded to drive for moufflons. For this purpose 

 about twelve guns were placed along a ridge that we 

 had passed en route, about fifty or sixty yards apart, the 

 Sards giving themselves the most likely places, while 

 five men made a circuit, and turning when about seven 

 hundred yards distant, walked back towards us, yel- 

 ling at the top of their voices. This drive was pro- 

 ductive of no results. We then had three more beats 

 in different directions, near the same spot, but nothing 

 was seen. 



As we advanced through a glade where the evergreen 

 oaks were exceedingly thick, about half a mile from 

 camp, and close to the head of the valley where we 

 were to begin the last beat for the day, we came upon 

 three old male moufflons, but several of the men being 

 in the direct line I was unable to fire. This was the 

 first sight we had obtained in Sardinia of these wild 

 sheep, of which during the next three days we saw 

 nearly fifty. I believe these interesting animals may 

 be seen in England. Several have been sent to the 

 Prince of Wales by H.M. Consul at Ajaccio, while at 



