TO LADAK. 115 



of bare rock, precipitous, and rugged. Above this I lay 

 down in no very agreeable state of mind at the prospects 

 before me. 



About 3 P.M. I saw the identical five fine ibex emerge, 

 and file slowly across the opposite hill-side. I watched 

 them eagerly without a movement, lying on my back, till 

 they disappeared over the ridge. One was a splendid old 

 fellow, with huge horns, and moved very leisurely behind 

 the others. How I longed to be within reach of him ! 

 The shikarries, who had occupied other places to watch, 

 soon joined me, excited by the same sight. We were 

 preparing to move, when two more ibex were seen follow- 

 ing in the track of the others. We had to wait till they 

 were out of sight : then, off we went, and had hard work 

 to cross the ravine, and ascend the opposite hill of slate 

 and snow, steeply scarped. We gained the crest, and 

 found the ibex were down on a level open slope, far out 

 of reach, and hardly possible to approach. Here was a 

 disappointment. After a long consultation a plan was 

 formed, we hunters to make a ' detour,' and then the 

 coolies to descend towards the game, and let them be aware 

 of his presence. 



It being so arranged, up and away : and after further 

 violent exertions we reached the part of the mountain 

 under which the ibex had been seen feeding most diffi- 

 cult ground, being very steep, and either of smooth slate, 

 or fragments affording no footing. We gained the top. of 

 the ridge. Subhan unfortunately did not reconnoitre, but 

 made a turn to the left to gain a passage through the 

 much-broken rock, when suddenly he shrunk to the ground, 

 as the horns and heads of two magnificent ibex came 

 into view, emerging from a narrow cleft and coming 

 towards us. They, of course, saw us. We were not 

 thirty-five yards apart. Now, to record what took place 



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