258 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



covered. We had not been able to choose the spot we 

 were on, and were consequently lying partly on snow 

 which had fallen the previous night, and as this melted 

 with the heat of our bodies and the warm sun, our circum- 

 stances were not quite as happy as they might have been, 

 I got the telescope into position, and for a long time 

 watched the herd. There were two which seemed to 

 have fair heads, but not having shot Ovis ainiuon before, 

 I was not able to judge of the length of the horns. We 

 must have got to where we were about seven o'clock, and 

 it was not till close on nine that the herd thoucrht fit to 

 move. First one got up and yawned, and then walked 

 up to another, evidently with a view to butt him, where- 

 upon the second got up and presented his horns. The 

 first up then went on to another and roused him, and 

 then two of those up began to playfully butt at each other. 

 This woke up the other three, whereupon all began to 

 look about them, as if deliberating what to do next. 



It was time now, I thought, to rouse the shikaris, who 

 had wisely taken the opportunity of our long enforced in- 

 action to go to sleep ; so having stirred them up, I watched 

 the herd with much interest. Apparently the rams con- 

 sidered the grass of the ravine below worth going to, for 

 they presently began to graze their way down. As soon 

 as they were out of sight in the hollow, we started for the 

 edge of the hill overlooking the ravine, going on hands 

 and knees chiefly. We succeeded in getting into a 

 depression not far from the edge, and looked for the 

 herd. It could not be seen, and we crept cautiously 

 forward. Suddenly we caught sight of the rams grazing 

 at the bottom of the ravine. I flung myself on my back 



