WILD YAK-SHOOTING. 193 



its horns broken off close to the head. I leave my 

 readers to imagine how terrific the crash must have 

 been to break off the huge thick horn of one of 

 these animals. What powerful heads to receive and 

 deliver such a blow ! 



The Mongols said that during the rutting season 

 the bulls constantly uttered a grunting noise ; this is 

 most probable, because the domesticated yak grunts 

 like a pig ; but we did not hear it once ; indeed, at 

 any other season except the pairing time it is very 

 uncommon. 



The Mongols say that the calves are born in 

 June, and that a cow will only bear every alternate 

 year. 



Gifted with enormous physical strength, the yak 

 in its native deserts, far from the haunts of men, has 

 no dangerous enemies, and dies generally of old age. 

 But he is subject to a kind of mange, called in Mon- 

 golian ' Jiomiui' which spreads over the whole body, 

 and causes the hair to fall off. I cannot say whether 

 they ever recover from this complaint, or whether in 

 time it proves fatal, but I myself shot two yaks 

 which had lost a great deal of hair and were covered 

 with the scab. 



Wild yak-shooting is as exciting as it is dan- 

 gerous, for a wounded beast, especially an old bull, 

 Avill often attack his pursuer. They are the more 

 formidable owing to the uncertainty of killing them 

 outright, however great both skill and nerve may be. 

 A bullet aimed at the body very seldom wounds 



VOL. II. о 



