MONGOLIAN ARGALI 215 



posed himself on the crest of the ridge. Tom fired 

 hurriedly, neglecting to remember that he was shooting 

 down hill, and, consequently, overshot the big ram. 

 They rushed off, two shots of mine falling short at 

 nearly four hundred yards as they disappeared behind 

 a rocky ledge. 



My Mongol said that we might intercept them if we 

 hurried, and he led me a merry chase into the bottom 

 of the ravine and up the other side. The sheep were 

 there, but standing in an amphitheater formed by in- 

 accessible cliffs. I advocated going to the ridge above 

 and trying for a shot, but the hunter scoffed at the 

 idea. He said that they would surely scent or hear us 

 long before we could see them. 



Tom and his Mongol joined us in a short time, and 

 for an hour we lay in the sunshine waiting for the sheep 

 to compose themselves. It was delightfully warm, and 

 we were perfectly content to remain all the afternoon 

 amid the glorious panorama of encircling peaks. 



At last Na-mon-gin prepared to leave. He indi- 

 cated that we were to go below and that Tom's hunter 

 was to drive the sheep toward us. When we reached 

 the river, the Mongol placed Tom behind a rock at 

 the mouth of the amphitheater. He took me halfway 

 up the slope, and we settled ourselves behind two 

 bowlders. 



I was breathing hard from the strenuous climb, and 

 the old fellow waited until I was ready to shoot; then 

 he gave a signal, and Tom's hunter appeared at the 

 very summit of the rocky amphitheater. Instantly the 



