158 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



one I considered I had wounded, in which case he 

 would separate from his companions, and probably- 

 lay down in some neighbouring ravine, where we 

 might stalk him again. So I caught my hunter by 

 his coat, and forcing him to sit clown by my side, 

 tried to explain my intentions to the little man, 

 who kept repeating " Baalou iok "-— which meant 

 " Not wounded." Evidently his idea was to get 

 another shot at the animals by making a dash to the 

 ridge over which they had gone ; this would have 

 brought me to the place breathless and panting, 

 entirely unfit to take aim. Moreover, he had not 

 noticed the result of my first shot. In the mean- 

 while, as I sat low, the herd came in sight about 

 a mile in front of us, making up a steep slope of 

 shingle, and I found that its number had now in- 

 creased to over thirty. Behind came my three-legged 

 youngster, who was struggling hard to keep up with 

 the others. My rifle had awakened the rumbling 

 echoes of the valley, and several lots of ewes were 

 galloping furiously up different slopes. 



When they had all disappeared from view, and calm 

 was re-established, we started slowly up the grassy 

 bank towards the place where our sheep had been 

 feeding, and to my dismay found no blood - tracks 

 whatever. My companion's triumphant look seemed 



