1 62 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



singled the ram, and ran him in the noblest way for 

 about three hours. No place the ram could choose 

 was too bad for the old dog ; relentlessly he stuck to 

 him. The chase led them far away through the rocks, 

 and we left the posts and followed them. Descending 

 through some cliffs, I came right on the top of him, 

 as he stood watching Leo mounting on his trail about 

 500 feet below. He dashed off and down a rock 20 

 feet at a jump. I fired, but missed him. He was out 

 of my sight in a second. Presently up came Leo ; hit 

 off the scent freshly, and was off more savage than 

 ever. I got down several hundred feet, and fixed 

 myself in a split amongst crags and cliffs in what I 

 conceived to be a most likely pass. Basil meantime 

 had caught sight of the ram, who was now joined by 

 three females, and turned them splendidly by firing 

 long shots. I sat still in my post, and nearer and 

 nearer came the tolling of the grand old hound. 

 Presently a stone came rattling down amongst the 

 rocks below me, and the next instant the moufflon 

 were clambering up the pass within 10 yards of me, 

 the ram last. One bullet sent him reeling round, and 

 the next killed a splendid female. The ram was only 

 wounded, and game to the last. Away he went far 

 below to some other rocks, Leo after him still. I ran 

 and climbed on to a peak close by. Up the opposite 

 cliffs I could see Leo and the ram going like the 

 wind, but the ram's days were numbered. Shorter 

 and shorter got the distance between him and Leo, 

 till round a cliff they disappeared, Leo at his tail ; and 

 the difference of the voice told at once that the ram 

 was at bay. Fearful that he would gain wind and 

 still escape, I made down the mountain, through the 

 most awful ground (for roughness and loose rocks), 

 as fast as I could, and at last gained the place where 



