148 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



The little rifle having apparently failed, I took the Express, 

 and released the safety bolt as we got to the edge of the 

 bank. The ibex had been seen to turn up under it, and 

 he ran out about 20 yards off as we approached. I 

 fired both barrels rapidly, and he disappeared round the 

 corner where the gully made a bend. Following along 

 the bank we caught sight of him struggling through 

 the snow, and I was just going to give him an eighth 

 shot when, as he was coming up the bank, he fell, and his 

 horns catching in a bush, he was prevented from slipping 

 down back into the snow. It was not till then that I knew 

 for certain he was hit. I was following in a kind of wild 

 despair, not in the least able to understand why he had 

 not fallen before if he had been hit, and equally unable 

 to understand how he could have been missed. When 

 we came to examine him we found seven holes in his 

 skin. Apparently, from the position of the marks, the 

 first shot had gone clean through (two holes), the second 

 had also hit him and gone up into the body without 

 coming out. The third was a miss, fired as he topped 

 the first rise. The fourth had gone clean through, which 

 accounted for the splash of earth I noticed when I fired 

 the shot (five holes). The fifth had caught him close to 

 the second, and like it had gone up into the body, and 

 one of the Express bullets had also hit (seven holes). 

 I was using for the .303, cartridges loaded with Jeffrey's 

 bullets, and it was clear they could go through when an 

 animal was broadside on. It was extraordinary that the 

 ibex had been able to go so far, and apparently to travel 

 so sound, when he had five bullets in and through 

 him. His horns were a fine pair — just 42I inches. 



