91 



CHAPTEK VII. 



ON THE CHIPLA ITS GENERAL FEATURES RIGHT AND LEFT AT TAHR 

 AND GOORAL DANGEROUS FOOTING KURBEER HAS A NARROW ES- 

 CAPE A WELCOME HAVEN ANNUAL BURNING OF THE DRY GRASS 

 ON THE MOUNTAINS GRAND SCENERY OF THE UPPER RANGES A 

 HERD OF OLD BUCK TAHR DIFFICULTIES OF A DOWN-HILL STALK 

 A TREMENDOUS DROP WOUNDED TAHR LOST IN THE MIST BAD 

 WEATHER SNOW-PARTRIDGES AN AWKWARD BIT SENSATIONS ON 

 BAD GROUND A CHANCE LOST MOONAL PHEASANT SHOOTING 

 SALT-LICKS THE HILL MARTEN TARTAR NOMADS MOUNTAIN BELLES 

 KURBEER'S FLIRTATION A TERRIFIC TORNADO DIFFERENCE BE- 

 TWEEN SPORT AND SLAUGHTER BEST SEASON FOR TAHR- 8 HOOTING. 



ALTHOUGH the Chipla, as seen from a distance, appears to be 

 a huge solid spur abutting from the snowy wall behind it, on 

 a nearer acquaintance it is found to have, as may already 

 have been inferred, mighty spurs of its own, with noble 

 rocky amphitheatres and stupendous V-shaped valleys lying 

 between them. As you ascend these steep-sloping valleys 

 they gradually grow narrower, and their sides become more 

 precipitous until they reach the snow-fields on the heights 

 towering above them. 



Up one of these steep spurs our way now led. To the left, 

 as we ascended, its southern face fell away abruptly, either 

 in a succession of irregular drops, like huge steps, or in rocky 

 rifts and gullies. As we mounted higher, these features 

 were exaggerated until they became broad and terribly steep 

 inclines, appalling precipices, and almost vertical rocky 

 gorges, terminating in landslips of rubble and Mbris running 



