:o2 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



templation, till one of my Kalmuks, who had squatted 

 down behind me, touched my arm and whispered, 

 "Adar kotchkor " ("Kill sheep"). This reminded 

 me of my object, and I decided to get above them 

 as quickly as possible, and wait till they fed into 

 favourable ground. 



The wind appeared to be steady, so, leaving my 

 hunters, I started back in a crouching position, and 

 in an hour's fast walking got round to a place which 

 I thought was about 300 yards above the slope where 

 I had located the sheep. Here I advanced with the 

 utmost precaution, expecting to see my coveted prey 

 at every moment. But, alas ! there was no sign of 

 my animals. I began to think that they had dis- 

 covered either my men or myself, when on reaching 

 a ridge overlooking a narrow transversal gully there 

 they stood, the grand old fellows, within 1 20 yards 

 in front of me, half-way up the slope. Off went 

 my " Purdey " at the largest, which staggered, and, 

 recovering instantly, made off, followed by a dozen 

 others I had failed to see before, and which jumped 

 up like lightning". Again I fired at another, and 

 distinctly heard the fatal thud of my bullet into 

 flesh. They all disappeared, however, making me 

 feel dismally low. Reloading my rifle I was off in 

 a second at their heels, or rather some hundreds of 



