THE NAPOO OR BURRELL. 369 



wards autumn burrell often assemble in very large flocks, but 

 in spring and summer they are generally found in much 

 smaller batches, sometimes only two or three together, the 

 large rams, as a rule, herding separately. The flesh of a young 

 male or ewe is, in autumn, as fat, tender, and better flavoured 

 than domestic mutton. Although the favourite haunts of the 

 burrell are open and comparatively gentle slopes of short 

 grass just under the snow-line, these sheep are quite as sure- 

 footed and agile as the wild-goat tribe on precipitous rocky 

 ground, which is never very far distant from the slopes where 

 they feed, and to this they usually resort when scared. They 

 have the most acute sense of smell, so it is always necessary 

 to take this into account before arranging a stalk. If burrell 

 have sighted you, it is generally useless to follow them. 

 They at once commence moving off, slowly and deliberately 

 at first, feeding as they walk, leading on an inexperienced 

 sportsman for miles, until they have fooled him sufficiently, 

 when they gallop away, and seldom stop before they are lost 

 to view among the eternal snows and glaciers. When dis- 

 turbed the burrell gives a shrill double whistle, which alarms 

 every other animal within sound of it ; and you will seldom, 

 if ever, get a shot after hearing it. Early in summer the 

 best of burrell-shooting can be got on the upper ranges of the 

 mountain provinces of Kumaon and Gurhwal, without having 

 to cross the passes into Tibet for it. 



As the ground for napoo in this vicinity was so limited 

 as only to admit of one of us shooting over it, and a few days' 

 journey farther on there was a similar bit of country for 

 ibex, the Major and I arranged that I should have a turn 

 at the napoo, and he at the ibex, which he was more anxious 

 to get. 



Having bundled up a few requisites for a night's absence 

 from our camp, I started upwards about noon next day, and 

 after a long and stiff pull of several hours, reached a huge 

 sort of come where my Spiti guides expected we should find 



2 A 



