38 SHOOTING ALPINE IBEX 



We took up our stand at the mouth of a 

 wide rocky ravine about 9000 feet above 

 sea-level. Little ramparts had been formed of 

 rough stones, thrown together anyhow. 



His Majesty and I were together in one butt. 



The drive began about ten o'clock. It was a 

 long time before anything showed itself. Then 

 it was a roe which came fleeing in great airy 

 bounds along the ridge and down into our 

 hollow. The first ibex was shot by the King; 

 the next two fell to me. 



According to my experience, a driven ibex 

 is harder to shoot than a chamois. While 

 the chamois stops every now and then to look 

 round him, giving one a fairly good chance for 

 a shot, the ibex as a rule never halts, and a 

 good shot at flying game is certainly not 

 every one's luck. The King was an unusually 

 fine shot, especially at long range. 



Driving never has the same charm for me as 

 stalking, but on this particular occasion every- 

 thing was so especially attractive that it may 

 almost be taken as the exception which proves 

 the rule. 



