GREAT RAM OF THE SHANSI MOUNTAINS 203 



hour, but the thought of those two splendid rams was as 

 good as bread and wine. 



Harry was considerably worried when we reached 

 camp at eleven o'clock, for in the village there had been 

 much talk of bandits. Even before dinner we meas- 

 ured the rams and found that the horns of the one he had 

 killed exceeded the published records for the species by 

 half an inch in circumference. The horns were forty- 

 seven inches in length, but were broken at the tips; the 

 original length was fifty-one inches; the circumference 

 at the base was twenty inches. Moreover, mine was not 

 far behind in size. 



As I snuggled into my fur sleeping bag that night, I 

 realized that it had been the most satisfactory hunting 

 day of my life. The success of the group was assured, 

 with a record ram for the central figure. We had three 

 specimens already, and the others would not be hard to 

 get. 



The next morning four soldiers were waiting in the 

 courtyard when we awoke. With many apologies they 

 informed us that they had been sent by the commander 

 of the garrison at Kwei-hua-cheng to ask us to go back 

 with them. The mountains were very dangerous ; brig- 

 ands were swarming in the surrounding country; the 

 commandant was greatly worried for our safety. 

 Therefore, would we be so kind as to break camp at 

 once. 



We told them politely, but firmly, that it was impos- 

 sible for us to comply with their request. We needed 

 the sheep for a great museum in New York, and we 



