CHAP. XXI THE FOUR URYAL RAMS 379 



We camped on grass by an irrigation channel above 

 the village, having covered about 17 miles. 



Shortly after daylight on the 23rd we were up, the 

 thermometer standing in my tent at 29'' when I rose. In 

 about an hour we started up the nala, and went over the 

 hills to the south. About nine o'clock we saw the four uryal 

 — all rams, and three of them good ones — at the bottom 

 of a hollow between two small hills of slate ddbris. The 

 ridge we were on ran down to where it seemed likely 

 I could get near enough for a shot, so, keeping out of 

 sight as we descended, we arrived without much trouble 

 just below the spot from which I thought I could fire. 



After tying up the loose stock of the rifle, and filling 

 up the magazine, I put an nth cartridge into the breech, 

 and inadvertently used for this one with an unslit bullet, 

 that is, not a Jeffery's bullet, but one with the top cut off 

 and no slits at the side. I had taken in my pocket a 

 few cartridges with bullets like these, not having very 

 many of the other kind. As I think it turned out, the 

 substitution of this cartridge for one with a Jeffery's 

 bullet was most unfortunate. Having got the rifle 

 ready I crept cautiously up to the edge of the ridge, 

 and on peering over between two stones found that the 

 four animals were lying down. The one with the best 

 horns lay with his head in my direction, three-quarter 

 broadside on, and about 120 yards off, as far as I could 

 judge, so sitting up I leant my elbows on my knees, and 

 aiming at the ground in front of his shoulder, so as to 

 make sure of not going too high, let fly. 



I saw a splash of slate dust just over the beast's 

 back, and concluded I had fired high notwithstanding all 



