i8o SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



after breakfast we saw both go downwards, and at once 

 started off after them. 



When we came to where they had been last seen, we 

 found that they had gone up instead of down, and were, 

 with the rest of the old herd, amongst the precipitous 

 rocks far above us. We accordingly waited under a 

 rock in hopes they would come down, and sent the local 

 man back to get bedding and food from the camp, so as 

 to be able to spend the night out if necessary. We 

 ought to have known better than to spend more time 

 after these exceedingly astute ibex, but the fine head 

 amongst them led me on ; and though we had already 

 wasted four days, I found myself giving up a fifth to their 

 pursuit. 



About four it began to snow, and if the herd had come 

 down within lo yards of us we could not have seen it. 

 The snow continued, with occasional breaks, until just 

 dusk, and the ibex would not leave the high rocks. So 

 we gave up in despair, and climbed down to where by 

 this time the coolies with the things ordered had arrived. 



There were no overhanging rocks to be found any- 

 where, so I had to be content with a small perpendicular 

 one, beside which there was a narrow ledge. This was 

 widened in the way commonly adopted in these hills. A 

 pine log was placed against the edge, and kept there by 

 stakes driven into the ground below ; grass and sods were 

 then rammed in between the log and the earth, and the 

 ledge roughly levelled. By a piece of good luck, the 

 snow stopped for about half an hour, and I had just time 

 to have my bedding spread on the level place formed as 

 above described, and to undress and get into bed before 



