THE RETURN. 277 



tinned on, far beyond our original halt, and finally pulled 

 up on the shingle, near a small thread of a stream which 

 was lost in the shingle. When we previously ascended, 

 this water-bed was intersected in every direction by rapid 

 streams : now water was difficult to find. The traps 

 arrived late, and I did not enter my tent till dark. There 

 was a perceptible difference in the atmosphere, though 

 still frosty. 



12th September. I intended to start the whole party 

 early, in order to bring the horses to the grass at Moor- 

 gaby, as soon as possible, but found them all astray, 

 having wandered away in search of grass during the 

 night. I could not wait in the cold, so started, my horse 

 at hand following as usual. I strode away best pace, and 

 passed coolies and Murad's party, and was deep in 

 thought, when a rattling of earth aroused my attention, 

 and looking up, there were some thirty napu close by me, 

 on the hill-side on my right hand, not above fifty yards 

 off, all of a heap. They were ^Leisurely moving upwards, 

 a capital shot. No shikarry, no gun near, that wretched 

 Mooktoo having lagged far behind. Abdool coming on, 

 driving my horse before him, I made frantic gestures to him 

 to stop ; but, head down, eyes on the ground, not heeding, in 

 stupid absorption, on he came, nor could I gain his atten- 

 tion, till I picked up a stone and threw it at his head. 

 Then he ducked, and halted, and began to talk. Mooktoo, 

 awake to the circumstances, now came running up, rifle 

 in case ; fumbled at that, then to cap his fingers so 

 numbed, I suppose, he bungled sadly. The animals were 

 now far up the mountain. I got the rifle, and pulling 

 trigger, no effects the cap bad. At last I got off both 

 barrels, but the objects were too far off for this weapon 

 a polygroove. 



We arrived at a point where the path, quitting the 



