XVII THE HERD OF YAK 301 



small hill, two herds of wild yak, one consisting of twenty- 

 six and the other of eleven animals. Some were lying 

 down, but the majority were feeding along the south 

 side of the nala. They were about 3 miles off, and as 

 the wind was blowing up towards them, we decided to 

 wait till it should change, as it generally does in this 

 valley, some time between ten and twelve. So we went 

 down the hill to the nearest stream, and had breakfast, 

 but without lighting a fire, for fear of the smoke disturb- 

 ing the game. After breakfast we went up the hill again, 

 and watched the herds through the glasses till about 

 noon, when, as we had expected, the wind changed and 

 began blowing down the valley. 



Then we mounted our ponies, and getting into the 

 bed of the main stream, went up in the direction of the 

 pasture where the yaks were. Before starting, we had 

 noticed with satisfaction that the two herds had amal- 

 gamated, and had gone up towards a still narrower part 

 of the nala, but one in which several low hills occupied the 

 middle, the main stream there flowing along the foot 

 of the northern range. The combined herd was under 

 the southern range, to the south of the low hills just 

 mentioned, and was, when last seen, slowly grazing its 

 way up the ravine. At the foot of the small hills we left 

 the four ponies with Turrup, and the two shikaris and I 

 proceeded up the slopes. From the crest of the first 

 hill nothing could be seen of the game, and we went 

 cautiously on to the next. From that three or four yaks 

 were visible, but they were too far off, so making a long 

 detour to the right, we went up a hill still nearer the 

 pasture on which the herds were. 



