XXI THE THREE BURHEL RAMS 387 



the herd were visible. We were then looking down 

 into a deep nala, the top of which lay to our right and 

 consisted of a jagged mass of slate rocks forming a semi- 

 circular ridge. We decided on working round this to 

 the opposite side, and then going along its crest for 

 some distance before crossing the nala back to camp. 



So we set off, travelling almost entirely on broken 

 slate, more or less comminuted, and feeling half frozen by 

 the bitter wind. After a wearisome climb, we got to the 

 middle of the semicircle, and finding a spot with a certain 

 amount of shelter, we sat down and had breakfast. The 

 tiffin coolie with us had collected droppings as he came 

 along, and of these the fire was made. But there was 

 not much shelter from the wind, and I was almost frozen 

 at breakfast. 



Working on round we got about to the middle of the 

 opposite ridge, when we saw two small crests running 

 down into the nala. Alonor one of these we sent the 

 tiffin coolie, telling him to call to us if he saw any 

 burhel. Along the other we proposed to go ourselves. 

 Just as we reached the point where it left the main 

 ridge, we heard the coolie call to us and utter the magic 

 word " napu." So we went back to him, and some 

 distance beyond where he was standing he showed us 

 three burhel lying down. 



These animals are so exactly the colour of the slate 

 debris amongst which they lie, that when motionless it is 

 exceedingly hard to make them out. I was several 

 minutes staring at the spot they were on before I 

 could see them, and even Abdulla, with his keen eye- 

 sight, said napu were the hardest animals to detect that 



