SPORT ON THE PLATEAUX 331 



that has made them the wonderful tacticians they 

 are. But the hunter has not always to contend against 

 such insurmountable difficulties. In the early morning, 

 and again in the evening, they leave their impregnable 

 position to graze. The rolling nature of the ground 

 which they then have to pass over gives the hunter 

 his opportunity. Whilst some succulent feed holds them 

 in a fold of the ground, a close approach is often possible. 

 On several occasions I have got within fifty yards or 

 less of a herd. 



I do not intend to go into details here about the 

 equipment for a hunting-trip to the Altai. I shall 

 confine myself to suggesting one or two labour-saving 

 methods.' mV 



When sheep-hunting it is, to my mind, of the greatest 

 importance to be equipped for a night out. It often 

 happens that, in following a wounded beast, one gets 

 benighted many miles from camp, or perhaps one does 

 not find game till the evening, when it is too late, or 

 the ground is unsuitable for a stalk that day. In either 

 case it is a waste of time and labour to ride, perhaps 

 ten miles, back to camp and return again in the morning. 

 What I consider the best equipment for a night's bivouac 

 is either a tente d'abri, or a light ground-sheet, in case of 

 bad weather, a small cooking-pot, in which one can 

 pack one's provisions, such as bread, tea, sugar, cold 

 mutton, salt, bovril, and chocolate, according to in- 

 dividual tastes ; a large mug and a spoon. A small 

 fiarer, or spirit-lamp, should be carried, as there is 

 never any wood on sheep-ground, and tezek may 

 not be handy, or may be sodden by a storm. These 



* Major Swayne. in his book Through the Highlands of Siberia, goes 

 <ieeply into the question of equipment. 



