Stalking the Wary Ibex. 



We started the next morning before dawn, riding up the 

 ravine for some Httle distance, and then turned into a nullah 

 to the foot of a steep and rocky dawan, the summit of which 

 commanded a view of the ibex ground before referred to. 



The pursuit of ibex entails a deal of hard work, but in the Thian 

 Shan one can usually go part of the way on horseback, which 

 tends to lighten the task, as there is a sufficiency of hard climbing 

 and walking without going out of the way for it. 



Having tethered the horses where there was grass enough 

 to occupy them until our return, we ascended the rock-strewn 

 ridge to the crest line, and there taking cover searched the ground 

 beyond with the glasses. Away to our left, and feeding on a grassy 

 spur running out from the main range, was a herd of ibex, three 

 or four of the bucks having good heads. The ground did not 

 permit of a direct advance, so we had perforce to remain 

 stationary, watching them intently through the glasses. Pre- 

 sently they began to move in our direction, the big bucks leading, 

 but their progress was slow and marked by constant halts to nibble 

 the short sweet grass. Finally they brought up beneath the 

 shade of some rocks and there lay down for the day, so nothing 

 could be done until they should either move further in our 

 direction, or shift quarters to more favourable ground for stalking. 

 By 4 o'clock the sun began to go down and a nasty cold wind 

 sprang up, but still the ibex did not move. At last, when the 

 sun had sunk behind the hills to the west they rose and began 

 the evening meal. This was my opportunity, for the whole 

 herd moved slowly down into the ravine, where they were soon 

 temporarily hidden. Dashing down the slope I reached some 

 depressions in the terrain, the front of which commanded a view 

 of the ravine in which the herd was swallowed up. Here we 

 very nearly caused a disaster by coming unexpectedly on a 

 number of female ibex, some of whom spotted us before we were 

 able to take cover and sounded their shrill whistle of alarm. 

 The Kalmuks now counselled an abandonment of the chase for 

 that day and returning on the morrow, when the ibex might be 



227 Q 2 



