4o6 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR cHAr. 



The bullets fell all close around him, as we could see by 

 the dust, much to the astonishment of the Ladak shikari, 

 who had apparently never before seen a rifle performing 

 like this. Finally, the ram went out of sight over the hill- 

 top, and we descended to pick up the one which had fallen. 



When we were near the bottom of the nala the 

 wounded uryal struggled to his feet, and began limping 

 up the hill after the one which had gone first. Evidently 

 he had been hit on a hind-leg. Sitting down at once I 

 fired several shots at him, all at long range, ending with 

 the 500 yards' leaf up, but failed to hit him again, though 

 as before the bullets raised the dust all round him, some 

 being very close. Presently he disappeared as the first 

 one had done, and as it was late, and following him then 

 would have taken us directly away from camp, I turned 

 back to the tents. It was evident that he had gone into 

 the Rumbok nala, and we felt sure of picking up the trail 

 next day. 



Accordingly on the 3rd of October we went off to the 

 Rumbok nala, and found blood immediately. We fol- 

 lowed the slot the whole of that day, twice seeing the 

 animal ahead, but being detected ourselves each time, and 

 finally, at the point where the Zaskar river joins the Indus, 

 reluctantly gave up the pursuit, as the uryal had turned up 

 the Zaskar nala, and it was then getting dusk. In the 

 course of the day, when we perceived where we should 

 probably find ourselves by evening, we had sent a coolie 

 back to have the tents taken to Nimu, on the Leh-Srinagar 

 road. So when we had to give up we forded the Indus 

 above the junction, and got into Nimu a little lower down 

 shortly after dark. The tents arrived an hour later. 



