io8 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap, vii 



would go down for what they could find and return to 

 camp by another route, suggesting that I should climb 

 up to where Chand was, and go back with him. I had 

 left my knife and belt near the rock shoot, and had to 

 get them, or I should have been tempted to go on with 

 the two men. 



As it was I turned back (it was then just 3.30 p.m.), 

 and had a very hard climb up. The marks we made 

 coming down saved me much time, but did not help me 

 near the shoot, for it was impossible to go up that, 

 owing to its steepness and smoothness, and I had much 

 trouble in finding a way round. Eventually, however, 

 I got up, found my knife and belt, and rejoined Chand 

 on the top of the crest. We arrived in camp soon after 

 dark, about 6.30, and Abdulla and the local man turned 

 up half an hour later. 



They had discovered the body of the markhor 

 smashed almost to pulp by the fall. The horns had 

 been broken off close to the head, and had not been 

 found. The head itself had been so banged about that 

 none of the bones were whole, and it was not worth 

 bringing home. The shikari had brought the skin of 

 the head, and arranged to send men back next day to 

 look for the horns, on the off chance that they or bits 

 of them might be found. It was exceedingly bad luck 

 altogether, and I went to bed feeling very depressed 

 indeed. 



