138 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



colder and higher than those we had so far been in, as 

 the apricots were only in blossom, and the corn but just 

 showing. 



On the morning of the 9th, having engaged a local 

 shikari called Dudson, whom Abdulla knew, we had 

 hardly gone two miles up the valley, when we saw what 

 appeared to be a good ibex, grazing beside two females. 

 They were rather high up near a pine wood, and we sat 

 down to watch them. After about an hour they strolled 

 off into the wood and disappeared. 



The tiffin coolie was sent back to bring up the camp 

 to where we were, and we went down into a wood of 

 very fine pines in a hollow by the river, and had 

 breakfast, after which I read and wrote letters as usual 

 till evening. From about 4 p.m. the two shikaris had 

 been watching the wood into which the herd had 

 gone, but when by 6 p.m. the goats had not emerged, 

 Abdulla and I went to the tents, leaving Dudson still 

 on the watch. 



The tents had been pitched in a thick grove of large 

 pines near the river, so that there might be no danger 

 of their being seen by the ibex. The river which was 

 here of fair size, about 10 or 12 feet wide, was rushing 

 past making a great noise over the rocks. Close beside 

 my tent, from under a large sloping rock, bubbled a clear 

 spring of water, deliciously cold. The ground was 

 slippery with pine needles, and their resinous scent was 

 strong in the air. It was a delightful camp. When it 

 was beginning to get dark, Dudson came and reported 

 that the herd had come out. So we resolved to go 

 after them in the morning. 



