STALKING 103 



yards behind, their pace equalling" that of the " Flying 

 Scotchman." Luckily for me several long snow- 

 patches lay across the slanting hillsides in the 

 direction they had taken, and this enabled me to 

 follow up their tracks for a good mile, till 1 

 reached a steep, rocky nullah, which, according" to 

 my observations, they must have crossed. At its 

 bottom flowed a precipitous torrent into the Bain- 

 Tchag'an, whose bed I could distinguish a long" way 

 below me. I was now fairly done, and sat down 

 to spy the opposite side. A faint hope of finding 

 my wounded rams in the ravine still remained, as 

 I had come across two distinct blood-tracks on my 

 way. On looking up there I saw the herd about 

 a mile above me, standing motionless on the sky- 

 line, but, to my great disappointment, saw no 

 staggerers behind ! My only chance was now to 

 inspect carefully the whole of the intervening ground 

 and every corner of the nullah. For a good half- 

 hour I peered into every recess, spied every ledge 

 of rock on the opposite side, but without result, 

 till I finally found a blood-stained stone, and follow- 

 ing with my glass the probable direction which the 

 ram must have taken, there I spotted him lying, 

 very sick, on a cornice just above the bottom of 

 the stream. "He is mine now," thought I, as I 



