Across the Roof of the Work 



in a more favourable position for a stalk, so, as I did not wish to 

 jeopardise my chances by rashly following them up, I assented. 



The next day was, however, too bad to go out, a thick 

 driving mist preventing one seeing more than twenty yards ahead, 

 whilst soon after dawn a drizzling rain set in, lasting throughout 

 the greater part of the day. During tlie night the weather 

 cleared, so we were enabled to resume the chase, setting forth 

 at dawn a chcval and ascending the dawan where we had seen the 

 ibex two days before. 



Beyond the crest line we espied them feechng on the grassy 

 slopes to the south, affording an excellent chance of a stalk, 

 as a spur jutting out from the main ridge would give cover 

 for an approach to close quarters. On the far side of this 

 we coasted until nearly level with the ibex and then turned 

 into a small gully which, running at right angles, continued down 

 to the bed of the ravine. Here I waited whilst Nurah went 

 forward to reconnoitre. Anxiously I watched him as he crept 

 along from rock to rock with the stealthiness of a cat. Pre- 

 sently he halted to peer from behind the shelter of a huge boulder, 

 then, looking back, silently beckoned me to follow. Cautiously 

 I stole forward to join him and there beheld a joyous sight. 

 The whole herd was concentrated on the slopes which ran down 

 to the afore-mentioned ravine bed. I singled out a big buck 

 who was lying down facing me, a position which never gives a 

 favourable chance. Moreover it was a good 300 yards, rather 

 a longish shot, so I determined to attempt a further advance 

 to the cover of some large boulders ahead. Arrived there in 

 safety I drew a bead on the big buck and let drive, a lucky shot 

 through the head. He toppled over and lay where he fell, which 

 was fortunate, for had he started rolling would have gone 

 down a great distance, probably breaking his horns during the 

 1,500-foot slope which intervened between the spot and the 

 bottom of the ravine. The tape gave the horns 51^ inches, 

 a really fine head, and a most happy beginning to my ibex shoot 

 in the Thian Shan. 



