XIX METHOD OF STALKING GAZELLES 351 



The horns of the first of the two gazelles shot that day 

 measured just over 1 2J inches, and those of the second 

 one just over \2\ inches.^ Having now got three fair 

 specimens of the goa, I determined to strike camp next 

 day and start for Leh. 



Neither Abdulla nor I had ever been after goa before, 

 and Giato did not seem to understand the sport ; but 

 for these facts we should have made a better bag, I think. 

 The first day was wasted altogether in endeavouring to 

 stalk large herds, none of which contained a shootable 

 buck. I also refrained from firing at times when I had 

 reasonable chances, fearing to frighten the animals too 

 much. On the two subsequent days, for the same 

 reason, I would not take long shots ; and it was not till 

 quite the end of the second day that I began to think I 

 saw how goa ought to be pursued. 



If I were to go after the Tibet gazelle again, I should, 

 first of all, carefully avoid herds, and look only for small 

 groups of males. If these were going up towards ground 

 where there was some hope of getting within shot, I should 

 try and make a circuit and intercept them. If they were 

 not doing so, I should go straight towards them, and 

 openly drive them out of the plain. Further, I should fire 

 whenever there was the remotest possibility of hitting, 

 whether the shot was a long one or not, knowing that a 

 miss would not result, as it would in the case of Ovis 

 amnion, in driving the game entirely out of the country. 



I had more than once consulted with Abdulla as to 

 the best route for returning to Leh. The ordinary way 

 was to go back via the Tagalang La and Gya ; but he said 



^ See illustration on p. 335. 



