80 IBEX SHOOTING 



snow, and he was snatched from the very 

 jaws of a horrible death. In a minute he 

 was on his legs, and digging his way onto 

 the ridge again, where we presently joined 

 him ; not, however, till Muksooda had also 

 slipped, but had fortunately fallen against 

 me, and stopped. "There is no use in 

 trying to go on," said Lassoo, quite quietly. 

 " We can't get down to the bottom ; and if 

 we have got to stay somewhere up here, 

 there 's no sense in going on till someone is 

 killed. We will go for that rock, and wait 

 till something happens." Accordingly we 

 made for the rock he had selected, and 

 under its shelter we sat. There was a 

 clump of bushes close to it, and soon we 

 had some sticks and a fire, and were fairly 

 protected from the wind and snow ; then I 

 pulled out my pipe for a " soother." 



" How much tobacco have you got ?" said 

 Lassoo. 



" Oh, enough for a smoke all round. 

 Where's your chillum?" 



" You'd better keep as much as you can," 



