VII THE THREE MARKHOR 95 



and round rocks, creeping along ledges, plunging through 

 snow, going upwards all the while. By that time we were 

 utterly done, and could only lie panting on a ridge, while 

 about 400 yards off, at the edge of a ghastly precipice, on a 

 ledge that seemed only a few inches wide, stood the three 

 markhor. Obviously all were uninjured. Very fine they 

 looked as they stood with their heads turned toward us, 

 evidently aware that they were perfectly safe. We 

 watched them for a bit, and then climbed on to the top 

 of the range above them, to see if there was any way of 

 getting at them from there. If I had had the Lee- 

 Metford with me when I saw the three on the edge of 

 the precipice, and had known its capabilities, I might 

 have bagged one of the big goats, but I did not know then, 

 as I learned afterwards, that nothing inside of 500 yards 

 is really safe from a sportsman with a .303 in his hands. 



The Burme Range runs nearly north and south, and 

 we were on the side facing to the east. On this face 

 there was comparatively little snow, but on the top, and 

 for a good way down the western face, the snow was 

 deep. Seeing no signs of the markhor, and knowing that 

 the local shikari would get the aid of some men from a 

 sheep fold not far down the mountain, and bring in the 

 rifle and head next morning, we turned towards the camp 

 along the crest, and got in a little before sunset, pretty 

 well tired out. The camp was on the eastern side of the 

 range, in a sheltered hollow free from snow, with plenty of 

 dry wood lying about. An artificially level place had 

 been prepared, and on this my tent had been pitched. 



There were two mistakes made in this day's work. 

 One was caused by the impatience of Abdulla, who did 



