MY FIRST IBEX 27 



But apparently the ibex were on the move, 

 and we could not go on for a bit. Five 

 minutes later Lassoo crawled forth again 

 for another look, and saw them still going 

 up and up, and still commanding our valley 

 at a point where it was met by theirs ; but 

 approaching a spot whence, for a minute 

 only, they would not be able to do so. 

 "Get ready, now!" came the order, and 

 we all got up, and waited. " Now, come 

 on ! " was the word, and we all went across 

 the hundred yards of valley as fast as bent 

 bodies and the soft snow permitted. From 

 there Lassoo again reconnoitred, and pre- 

 sently came back with a beaming face to 

 say that the ibex had taken up their posi- 

 tion on that very rock behind which they 

 had just gone. We had got across in the 

 very nick of time, for no one could cross 

 in front of their valley now without being 

 seen ; and there was no possible route up 

 the hill on the village side. The first part 

 of our stalk would now be simple, for we 

 had now only to climb up the next valley, 



