410 TWO RAMS KILLED. 



until they apparently thought they were well out of danger, 

 as after a time they all lay down. A misty drizzling shower 

 of rain now began to fall, which, as the footing was easy and 

 the ground somewhat open, rather favoured our movements 

 than otherwise ; consequently we had little difficulty in reach- 

 ing a spot within eighty yards or so of where we had seen the 

 animals lie down. On reconnoitring them from behind a 

 rock, I saw they had risen and were slowly moving off, as if 

 they had just got wind of us. There was no time to lose, so 

 I let the biggest fellow have it, when down he went, rolling 

 over and over among the rocks. The rest sped on, but as 

 the ground they had to get over was rough and steep, I 

 was able to get a chance at another ram before they all dis- 

 appeared in succession round a sort of ledge overhanging a 

 deep drop. 



As we could see that the first ram was safely disposed of, 

 we followed up as quickly as possible in order to mark the 

 flock, for both Puddoo and I thought the second shot had also 

 told. We had got round the ledge and were making our way 

 over the crags beyond it, when Puddoo, who was tracking 

 ahead, stopped short, and gazing downward, remarked, "There's 

 no need to go farther, for look there ! " The steep rocks below 

 were smeared with blood, from which, and other unmistak- 

 able signs, it was evident that the wounded ram had toppled 

 over and slid down them, though, from the drop beneath being 

 so abrupt, we were unable to see how far he had gone. We 

 now turned back and got down to where the first ram had 

 fallen. He was a good beast, with thick horns about two feet 

 long. After cutting off his head and cleaning him, we hid his 

 carcass with stones from the soaring carrion-feeders, and then 

 proceeded round below to look for the other animal. We 

 found him lying quite dead, and considerably smashed by his 

 tremendous fall among the rocks. Luckily his head, which 

 was nearly as good as that of the first I had shot, was little 

 injured. Well satisfied with our forenoon's sport, we made 



