314 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



While looking at them, Rupsang called out that the 

 third buck had got up and begun to move off. Turning 

 round I saw the animal going slowly away. Not having 

 another cartridge, I sent the Kashmiri to watch the 

 wounded beast, while I went back to meet the ponies 

 and get a fresh packet of cartridges from my bag. On 

 reaching them, I took out the packet and jumped on my 

 own nag, directing the Ladak shikari, who had followed 

 me, to come along quickly on another. In a few minutes 

 we reached the Kashmiri, who had marked down the 

 wounded buck into a hollow. I got off the pony and 

 crept stealthily forward, and soon saw the antelope 

 struggling with its feet in the air. As I got up to it the 

 struggles ceased, and the animal lay motionless with its 

 head on the ground. I knelt down beside it and, having 

 my rifle in my right hand, put my left on one of the 

 horns as a precaution, in case the beast should not be 

 really dead. As the Kashmiri came up, I let go the 

 horn for a second, and, pointing to the buck's neck, said, 

 "Quickly cut his throat." As I said this the animal 

 suddenly sprang to its feet and bolted. 



I was so astonished, that though he was not 20 

 yards from me when I got the rifle to my shoulder, I 

 missed him clean. I then began running after him, but 

 saw at once he could go faster than I. So I went back 

 for the pony, and started off as fast as the little brute 

 could trot, for I could not manage to get a canter out 

 of him. 



The buck was gaining, but he presently lay down, 

 and let me get within a hundred yards or so, when he 

 started off again. He did this two or three times, and 



