258 AFTER WILD SHEEP IN THE ALTAI 



me, but a running shot is always doubtful. Three 

 other consecutive shots were of no avail. As we 

 watched them, however, through our glasses, Taba 

 suddenly shouted, " baalou" which means "wounded," 

 and sure enough there was the big fellow struggling 

 to keep up with the rest with one of his hind legs 

 broken. We saw him cross the valley, and, to our 

 great dismay, ascend the opposite slope, and dis- 

 appear over the ridge. Another chase similar to that of 

 yesterday was our lot. Though we found blood-tracks, 

 and followed them for a couple of miles, we eventually 

 had to give up the pursuit, and returned to camp. The 

 vitality and energy of these animals when wounded is 

 extraordinary. Though the slope was exceedingly 

 steep, and the animal's hind leg was shattered, he 

 never stopped once, but galloped steadily away. I 

 was fated to find that same ram again, wound him 

 once more in the shoulder, and eventually lose him. 

 According to a careful estirnate, the length of his 

 horns should have been well-nigh sixty inches. I 

 reached the tents at 8 p.m. in very low spirits. The 

 ladies told me on my return that Littledale had sent 

 in, through his second Kalmuk, a note which he had 

 scribbled down on a flat bit of stone with Hint, in 

 the absence of ordinary materials, with the following 

 words : " Wounded big sheep ; send small tent and 



