64 SHIKAR 



beast, being then in hot chase of the much- coveted ibex, 

 but was suddenly startled by a fierce growl, and saw 

 Bruin rushing by, within a few yards. But I would not 

 have fired in the attitude I was in, had the rifle been in 

 my hand. We shortly got sight of an ibex on the 

 look-out, on a prominent point affording a good view 

 around. We lay still some time : the ibex fed, then 

 quietly walked out of sight ; when believing it was all 

 as we could wish, we made what speed we could up the 

 mountain to the look-out place of the sentinel. We 

 could thence see nothing : so ascended higher, on to a 

 place where the game must be, had they not taken alarm 

 and fled. Every probable place was examined but no 

 occupants. At last we saw nine ibex on the summit of 

 an adjoining eminence, far out of reach, and they leisurely 

 making their retreat still further. Whether the beast 

 of a bear had given the alarm, we could not tell. 



We descended, and took our former route. A small 

 goat-like deer, called a ' kustoora,' was seen. We stalked 

 up to within eighty yards, the animal up above and look- 

 ing down. I changed my rifle for one carried by Mooktoo, 

 the right barrel of which he had loaded this morning, so 

 I thought it was sure to go off: the other had been loaded 

 since Saturday. I aimed steadily the cap only exploded 

 the animal bounded off, stopped, and gazed : I pulled the 

 other trigger, when the powder went off hissing, fizzing, 

 and smoking like a squib, and the bullet dropped about a 

 yard from the muzzle. I suppose some snow had got 

 into it. This was a dreadful disappointment, 



After breakfast we proceeded up among the snowy 

 summits : we saw nothing, lay down, and went to sleep. 

 Then on again to another point, and again stopped for 

 observations : then we began to descend, pausing here 

 and there, but not a vestige of an ibex to be seen : all 



