XI DANGEROUS SNOW SLOPE 177 



I should most probably never see them again. So I 

 refrained, and we went back to the tents, much exercised 

 in mind at having spent three days in pursuit of that one 

 herd without g-ettinof a chance of a shot. 



The next day, on returning again to the ridge over 

 the Round Gorge, we saw the herd high up amongst 

 what seemed inaccessible rocks. They were far above 

 the snow-line moving quietly about. The snow came 

 down on us at intervals, and it was very cold ; so I 

 had a fire lighted under a sheltering rock, and tried to 

 keep warm. Abdulla and I had many consultations as to 

 what was best to be done. By about ten o'clock the 

 whole herd had lain down, and it seemed unlikely the 

 animals would move till quite late. Evidently they had 

 been badly frightened, and were resolved not to leave 

 the position of security they occupied for a considerable 

 time. So we determined to try and get at them where 

 they were, and with a view to this got breakfast over. 

 Then about noon we started — Abdulla, the local coolie, 

 and I — Chand being sent back to the camp. 



We had first a very long climb on grass up the ridge, 

 and then struck downwards along a steep gully. This 

 brought us to the first snow, and I confess I did not at 

 all like what I saw was before us. In front was a long 

 narrow hollow, running up towards the crest of the 

 range, and filled with snow. To the right it ended in a 

 precipice which, as we approached, we had seen to be of 

 considerable depth. Our route lay partly up this hollow, 

 and then across to rocks beyond. We had to go up- 

 wards, because right opposite we could not have climbed 

 out of the hollow at all. The snow slope was exceed- 



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