My First Poli. 



covered with deep snow. By keeping along the bed of the stream 

 and thence under cover of a protecting spur running out from 

 the main range, we worked beyond the poh and thus circumvented 

 the wind, ever a source of trouble to the hunter. During the 

 night it blows down the nullah, changing soon after daybreak to 

 an upward course, when stalking becomes a matter of increased 

 difficulty, since the poli usually retire to higher ground during 

 the day and any attempt then to approach them is futile, with the 

 wind in their direction. One must therefore get beyond and 

 work downward against the wind. On this occasion it was 

 fortunately in the right direction. 



Once beyond the spur and out on to the slope on which the 

 poli were feeding we became more or less exposed while in addition, 

 the rattle of falling stones on the loose shale might easily cause 

 the quarry to seek safety in precipitate flight. By crawling 

 along and taking advantage of slight folds in the terrain I finally 

 reached a point beyond which any further advance was out of 

 the question, for, by raising myself just above a lying posture, I 

 could see the poli about 200 yards off. 



Evidently something had alarmed them, for they stood in 

 a bunch gazing intently in my direction. There were eight, all 

 rams, so singling out the biggest I pushed my rifle quietly forward 

 and, covering him behind the shoulder, let drive. He toppled 

 over, rolling some distance down the slope, whilst the rest of the 

 herd betook themselves off in headlong flight. We dashed down 

 to the fallen monarch, blundering over sundry rocks in our 

 eagerness. The tape gave the horns at under 50 inches, a dis- 

 appointment, as the head had appeared to be a good one. 



Poli heads are undoubtedly difficult to judge, but on my 

 way from Mintaka. coming across many old horns. I, with an idea 

 to gaining experience in the size, had set them up on rocks to 

 view from a distance and then, judging the measurement, verified 

 it afterwards by the tape. I sent back for a yak on which to 

 pack the poli I had shot, and when the former arrived loaded up 

 and returned to camp. 



