30 IBEX SHOOTING 



different, for I had never even seen an ibex 

 before, and I lay for hours with my eye to 

 the telescope watching their every move- 

 ment. Although they were half a mile 

 away, yet looking through the telescope 

 they seemed quite close, and the notches 

 on the old man's horns were distinctly 

 visible, as was also his beard, and even his 

 eyes ; a dozen times my heart stood still 

 as the watchful females seemed to be look- 

 ing right down the telescope, and we ap- 

 peared to have been discovered ; then with 

 a sigh of relief I dropped my head from 

 the glass, as they looked just as anxiously 

 in the opposite direction. I then essayed 

 to sleep, but my nerves were on the jump, 

 and not to be quieted ; so I went off to 

 where Lassoo was lying, calmly smoking 

 his hookah. 



" How big do you think his horns are, 

 Lassoo?" 



" Nearly forty inches." 



" Do you think we shall get him ? " 



" God only knows." 



