344 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap, xix 



what seemed a long time, while the herd slowly went 

 upwards. The hill was a long gentle rise, and it was 

 about half an hour before the gazelles disappeared over 

 the crest, and we were at liberty to go on. We went 

 up towards where the game had been last seen, and 

 crouched low as we got to the top of the rise. Before 

 we reached it, however, the herd was again visible, not 

 more than 1 50 or 1 70 yards off, and I dropped at once, 

 but as some rising ground prevented me from getting a 

 sufficient view I began crawling forward. I was, how- 

 ever, detected, and the lot bolted. Seeing it was use- 

 less to try and get any nearer I sat up, and the animals 

 stopped to look at me. I dropped one buck in his tracks, 

 and fired two shots at the others as they were bolting, 

 but without effect. Stepping the distance to the fallen 

 gazelle, which was stone dead when we reached him, I 

 found it just 239 paces. The ground was nearly level. 

 The animal was struck on the near hind-quarter, the 

 bullet passing out with the usual bad wound in front of 

 the off-hip. 



When breakfast was over, one pony was sent back 

 with the dead gazelle, and the two shikaris and I pro- 

 ceeded to hunt up the four that had escaped, or the three 

 we had previously seen, whichever we might come across 

 first. After going for a couple of miles along the crest 

 in the direction taken by the four fugitives, we suddenly 

 came in sight of the three lying on a hilltop, about a 

 mile off. Making a detour, after leaving the ponies with 

 the coolie, we cautiously went up towards the point 

 where the herd had been seen. But, unfortunately for 

 us, it was on the alert, and the instant that my head 



