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CHAPTER XV. 



DIFFICULTY OF FINDING GREAT OLD MARKHOR A MORNING CALL AT 

 BRUIN'S QUARTERS " NOT AT HOME " UP AMONG THE PINES BIRCH- 

 BARK AND SOME OF ITS USES COLD TEA A HERD OF MARKHOR 

 A WILD TABLEAU AN AWKWARD POSITION FOR A SHOT GAMOO 

 IMPLORES THE ASSISTANCE OF ALLAH AND THE PROPHET A SHADOW 

 OF DOUBT ALL'S WELL JERKING THE MEAT BLACKBIRDS SNOW- 

 BRIDGES JUST IN TIME FOR A SHOT A BITTER DROP IN THE CUP 

 OF HAPPINESS GAMOO AND HATHA SEARCH FOR A TALISMAN THE 

 BEZOAR TROUBLESOME TICKS EDIBLE FUNGI A RICKETY BRIDGE 

 AN INTERESTING FAMILY PARTY BRUIN REMONSTRATES OUR LUCK 

 DESERTS US GRIEF A RANDOM SHOT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES AN 

 UNEXPECTED APPARITION A CLOSE SHAVE WE TRY A GLISSADE A 

 STARTLING SIGHT KAXIM A'S FIRST TESTIMONIAL. 



GREAT old markhor are always difficult to find, owing 

 chiefly to their usually affecting such inaccessible places, and 

 generally where the precipitous ground is tolerably well 

 clothed with pines and birches. Gamoo now proposed that 

 we should bivouac high up among the pine-trees on a neigh- 

 bouring spur, on the farther side of which he was confident 

 we should find some old fellows. Accordingly, in the enrly 

 morning the little tents were struck, and directions left to 

 have them pitched wherever sufficient space could be found 

 beside the torrent at the bottom of the deep narrow valley 

 we had to cross, whilst the shikarees and I went on to the 

 new ground, taking with us two or three men to carry our 

 food and blankets. 

 After a long and tiresome descent, succeeded by a tedious, 



