io6 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



away, away, far over the precipice into the jungles 

 below. The other ibex got off as only ibex can, and I 

 never saw them again. On looking over the precipice 

 we at first agreed that to recover my ibex was im- 

 possible ; but after a minute or two's indecision my old 

 climbing propensities got the better of me, and I 

 determined to try the climb. Fool ! little did I know 

 what I might lose by it. We were both suffering 

 greatly from thirst, and Brine said he really could not 

 come with me, but would go to the hut, so I went 

 alone. Experientia docet, and I had not climbed since 

 a little child for nothing ; my eye readily planned out 

 the way down, and down I eventually got, but not 

 without two heavy falls, in both of which I seriously 

 injured my dear old Purdey rifle. The heat was 

 terrible, and my thirst was raging like a furnace. At 

 the bottom a little water trickled slowly through the 

 rocks. Oh, what a Godsend ! warm and horrid as it 

 was ; and after all my pains, though I looked till I 

 was quite exhausted, I could not find the ibex. So 

 back again I climbed, regained my rifle which I had 

 been obliged to leave behind me half-way, and after 

 some queer work got to the top and home again tired, 

 disappointed, and disgusted. After a desperate break- 

 fast I went to the saddle in the evening and tried a 

 long shot at a peacock but missed. Bad headache that 

 evening ; sent Purdey in with a note to Hamilton. 



6tk August. At earliest dawn I started alone for the 

 Peak Rock, but only saw a small ibex and two hinds, 

 and could not get a shot at them. Fired at a sambur 

 but missed him. The heat being great, I had a bathe 

 and then went home utterly disgusted. On the way 

 saw marks of a bear. A dreadful storm came on in 

 the evening. 



'jth August. Started with B. before dawn for some 



