16 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



Monte Carlo some are in captivity, young moufflons 

 being frequently caught in April. 



During the evening the men amused themselves by 

 shouting impromptu solos in turn before a huge fire, 

 some laudatory of ourselves, some possibly otherwise. 

 Their chief theme seemed to be that the Englishmen 

 next year might return and pay them for another hunt 

 and give more wine. 



The wine and bread, of which very large quantities 

 had been brought, it was found impossible to apportion 

 without causing a mutiny. The amount was intended, 

 and was amply sufficient, to have lasted three days. 

 But what with camp followers, who made their appear- 

 ance towards night, and the drunken proclivities of 

 the remainder, horses had to be sent several times for 

 fresh loads of wine and provisions from Lanusei. 



Next morning the sun had long been above the 

 horizon when we left camp for the summit of the hill 

 above. 



On reaching the ridge a wonderful panorama was 

 seen spread below. Long rows of cliffs of basaltic 

 formation were crowned with forests of evergreen oak. 

 The intense clearness of the air made any attempt at 

 judging the distance hopeless, and brought into con- 

 trast the intense black shadows under the ilex-trees 

 and the light colour of their foliage. During this 

 beat, which was the best we had, I saw a great 

 number of moufflons. But during the whole of our 

 operations an immense amount of time was wasted in 

 endless and incomprehensible discussions among the 



