568 DZUNGARIA 



As the Borotala had proved most unproductive of 

 big ibex, Carruthers decided to move on ahead into the 

 Urta Saryk, where they were said to be much more 

 plentiful, while I retraced my steps and hunted the 

 ground below the spot where the five rams had been 

 killed. 



I spent a restful day in riding down-stream with the 

 caravan, through country already well hunted over, 

 little thinking what disheartening days lay ahead of me. 

 Leaving orders with Pereira to move along the foot of the 

 hills and to camp in the first large, lateral valley, I started 

 off with the same trust}^ old Kalmuk to hunt my way 

 thither by a higher route. The first little valley we en- 

 tered was full of rams. Three were lying down high up 

 to my right, eight more were feeding low down to the left 

 of the stream, while a large herd of some fifteen small 

 rams, were to be seen far up under the shale . Among the 

 eight was one that stood out from all the others. It took 

 much careful manoeuvring to dodge those three pairs of 

 watchful ej^es on the right, but, after a wet scramble up 

 the stream-bed, a spur hid them. Only three hundred 

 yards of easy ground now lay between me and that 

 " head of heads," which I already looked upon as mine, 

 when, happening to glance back in the direction of the 

 man and the horses, I was horrified to see hundreds of 

 cattle driven by several horsemen streaming out from 

 a side-nullah, and this in a country which I had con- 

 sidered to be absolutely free from such disturbances. 



Of course, the rams had seen them before I had, 

 for, when they next appeared, they were a good four 

 hundred yards off, and going strong. Two impossible 

 shots only hastened their flight, those 6o-in. horns looking 

 larger the farther they retreated from me, and making 



