146 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



This animal, living in a hot, dry climate, has very short 

 hair and no wool or pashm, and its horns are much Hghter. 

 The domestic sheep of the plains of India is as small as 

 the little Welsh mountain sheep, and has got a coarse 

 kind of wool, more frequently black than white. During 

 the dry season, when grass is almost all burnt up, it 

 suffers from starvation and heat. It would be interesting 

 to know if all these sheep wiU breed together or not. I 

 imagine they will interbreed. 



To finish the record of this day's shikar, the most 

 remarkable of a long experience, the great beast was left 

 partly covered up with stones and broom bushes, which 

 grew on the face of the khud. It began to snow and sleet 

 in an unpleasant manner, and we were in doubt which 

 way to go to get to camp ; but Kunkoo was not long in 

 fault, and we hurried on, following down a vaUey which 

 presently opened out in the right direction. We had 

 been out since 5 a.m. and were pretty tired and hungry, 

 and evening was fast closing. The pony had been left 

 with his syce early in the day, and we had a long distance 

 to tramp. Luckily the snow ceased and clouds began to 

 clear, and as we rounded a bend in the valley, by the edge 

 of the stream there stood, not 100 yards away, six splendid 

 old rams, quietly drinking. They just lifted their great 

 heads and stared at the unexpected apparition. Their 

 large black eyes and gracefully curved horns were most 

 striking, and they did not seem at aU alarmed. Steadying 

 the rifle which I was carrying, I took a most deliberate 

 aim, and, oh horror ! the rifle missed fire, the second barrel 

 likewise. They went off behind some rocks. Beckoning 

 to Kunkoo, who was coming after me, to hand me the 

 other rifle, I rushed round the rocks, and was overjoyed 

 to see that they were standing not 200 yards off, again 

 staring in my direction. Choosing the biggest head, I 



