THE NILGIRI IBEX 



off a few drops at a time pure enough to drink 

 at a moment of distress. 



During one of these expeditions, I had seen 

 two little kid ibex, which had come over the top 

 of the hill, and which ran only a short distance, 

 and then lay down on the rocks, making a soft 

 bleating which sounded like the mewing of 

 a cat. 



The shikarrie and coolies returned at last, 

 bringing water for me, and while they busied 

 themselves in recovering the head and skin of the 

 second animal, I went on a prospecting expedition 

 to the right-hand side of the hill, and there, on 

 a little piece of flat near its bottom, I saw six 

 or seven ibex. One was conspicuous amongst 

 them in size, and I knew that it was a buck. 

 Sitting down, and taking a steady aim, I fired, and 

 the animal fell and lay kicking where he had been 

 struck. I watched him for a minute or two to see 

 if he required another bullet, but as he soon lay 

 quite still, I started to again go back over the brow 

 of the hill in order to try to find the shikarrie and 

 coolies. After ascending a few yards, I saw the 

 ibex give another kick, and I again watched him, 

 but he showed no further signs of life. Suddenly, 

 from the jungle below, appeared a fine dark- 

 coloured buck, who looked larger and duskier than 

 the one just shot. He stared at his slain friend, 

 and started, shying off like a pony, and then stood 

 looking sideways with a startled air at the dead 

 buck. Sitting down, I took a steady shot at 

 his back, and fired, and to my satisfaction I saw 



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