IN THE WTJRDWAN. 63 



old injury by my slips and strenuous efforts to keep my 

 footing, a large lump from some overtaxed muscle hav- 

 ing formed immediately behind my right knee, giving no 

 acute pain, but a sense of diminished strength, and a 

 sensation that it would become worse. 



20th May. Sunday. After breakfast, a lad, one of 

 the valley, who accompanied us yesterday, found his way 

 to me when unobserved by the shikarries, and criticised 

 their method of approaching game, of which he disap- 

 proved. Having observed him to be active and intelligent, 

 and knowing that he had been hunting with officers, I 

 talked with him, and finally arranged for another attempt 

 011 the ibex, he leading and to have the entire control 

 and management of the arrangements. He was much 

 gratified. Anticipating jealousy, and. perhaps, obstruc- 

 tion on the part of my shikarries, I assembled them, and 

 put the matter in such a light that they entered into the 

 plan with perfect good humour. 



2 1st May. Away under the auspices of the ambitious 

 young Kamal to the same mountain, to ascend by the 

 same route. Ere reaching the base, we observed three 

 ibex on a snowy crest, I believe keeping watch and 

 ward. We had not ascended far, when Kamal, all 

 ardour and vigilance, leading the way, stopped suddenly, 

 and announced ibex in sight, and near at hand. We 

 prepared to attack. Leaving one of our number at 

 this place, we set to work to climb, the ordinary diffi- 

 culties being greatly augmented by a quantity of hail 

 lying on the surface, and by a frost having made the 

 grass, which had been wet with rain or melted snow, 

 terribly slippery. 



As I toiled and struggled in agonies of partial suffo- 

 cation from my exertions up the steep, a bear was 

 reported in sight. I did not take notice of the ignoble 



