TAHR IN SIGHT. 93 



depths of the hollow, into which we could not see from above, 

 we crept cautiously down behind the promontory. As the 

 shikaree, who was in front, slowly raised his head to look 

 over, he suddenly drew back and whispered " tahr." On the 

 opposite face of the hollow, and slightly below us, not only 

 were there five or six tahr on a narrow and steeply sloping 

 terrace of short green grass that ran obliquely downwards 

 across it, but there was also a small herd of gooral browsing 

 unconcernedly not far from them, and botli were within 

 range for a longish shot. Singling out the tahr that looked 

 the best, I waited until he was in a good position for taking 

 him. As the report of the rifle rang out, his companions 

 instantly made off, and scaling the impassable-looking rocks 

 above them with the most marvellous agility, disappeared 

 over the ridge on the opposite side of the hollow, without 

 stopping to give a second chance. The one I had shot at 

 seemed so badly hit, as he went hobbling away after them, 

 that, feeling sure of eventually getting him, I at once turned 

 my attention to the gooral. They looked very much per- 

 plexed, but did not move off until I had emptied my second 

 barrel at one of them as he stood hissing out his note of 

 alarm. 



" He's hit too ! " exclaimed the shikaree witli great glee, as 

 the animal contrived with difficulty to follow the rest of the 

 herd over the ridge, some distance lower down than where 

 the tahr had crossed it. Scrambling down the side of the 

 promontory, we almost ran along the sloping terrace the 

 animals had been on. In cold blood I should most probably 

 have hesitated to cross it at all, for the incline was so sharp 

 that a slip would have been fatal, and it was not until \\r 

 were on it that I could see the profound depth of the abyss 

 below. 



The shikaree now climbed after the tahr, whilst Kurbeer 

 aii<l 1 took up the track of the wounded gooral. The ground, 

 which wtnilil at any time have been bad, was now rendered 



