148 SNOW-SLOPES. 



commence working towards them, but the ground we have to 

 get over is in many places so difficult that we are several 

 hours in approaching them. We are constantly employed in 

 cutting steps in the hard slippery snow, where we are often 

 obliged to cross steep fields of it, and on which the result of 

 a slip might be unpleasantly doubtful. After a time, how- 

 ever, one gets accustomed to such places. Moreover, they 

 often at first appear worse than they really are, for if the 

 crust is hard and the notches well cut, a fair cragsman, with 

 a little care, is almost as safe as though he were walking 

 along "the shady side of Pall Mall," if his nerves would only 

 allow him to believe so. But there are certain conditions of 

 these snow-slopes when crossing them becomes ticklish work. 

 I have never heard of the rope being used by sportsmen in the 

 Himalayas, as game is not usually found above the limit of 

 vegetation, unless driven to seek safety in higher and less 

 accessible regions ; therefore, being tied to your companions 

 need seldom be resorted to as an absolute necessity in Hima- 

 layan hunting. 



At last we get to within 150 yards or so of the place where 

 the ibex are now reposing in a little corrie. But the best 

 bucks are hidden from view, and we cannot get nearer with- 

 out being detected. After waiting patiently there for an 

 hour or more, and calculating with much satisfaction upon 

 the certainty of, sooner or later, getting an easy chance, we 

 are much surprised at hearing one of the beasts sound its 

 alarm- whistle ; for we are well hidden from them, and the 

 wind is right. But we soon discover that the animal's keen 

 vision has been attracted by something below, which it is in- 

 tently watching, and after a few minutes we have the mor- 

 tification of seeing the whole herd slowly walking away up 

 the hill. Both rifles are emptied, and apparently without 

 effect, for the animals still continue steadily to ascend with- 

 out increasing their pace, until they disappear over the crags 

 some distance above. 



