THE SIX OVIS AMMON RAMS 255 



and I had to take off our chaplis, and then we all three 

 lay down on our backs and proceeded to worm our way 

 onwards, feet foremost, by our heels and elbows. When 

 we had gone as far as brought me in sight of a sheep 

 sitting down on the opposite slope (I was leading and 

 barely raised my head above the ground to see the 

 animal), it was clear we could go no further. The herd 

 was then so far away that I could hardly make out the 

 horns, and of course all were quite out of range. 



So I told Rupsang to make a detour of about 2 miles, 

 and to come out on the hillside above the herd, on the 

 off-chance that they would, on seeing him, cross the nala 

 and come up the side where I was. The Ladaki, 

 accordingly, crawled away, and the Kashmiri and I, lying 

 flat on our backs, worked our way to a slightly better 

 place. It was a hot method of travelling, as we had to 

 cover quite a quarter of a mile, and most of the time a 

 blazing sun was shining down on us. 



It was about 2.30 p.m. when the herd was first sighted, 

 and nearly an hour later when Rupsang started to make 

 his detour. Some time after four we perceived him, a dark 

 speck, on the ridge opposite, working his way on to get 

 behind the herd. Meantime the sheep had grazed their 

 way up the hillside a little, and were in full view of us as 

 we lay on our sides. Had we moved we should certainly 

 have been detected. About half-past four Rupsang began 

 to roll stones down the hill, and after watching intently 

 for a few minutes the herd started off, but, unfortunately, 

 not to come up the hill to us. Instead, it ran quickly 

 down the slope of the side it was on without crossing the 

 hollow below, and disappeared round the hill. 



