260 lukkur's escapade. 



For the two following days we wandered high and lo^ 

 over these desolate hills, which I found to' be a great d( 

 steeper than they had at first looked. Carefully did I scj 

 every hillside, glen, and corrie through the telescope, with^ 

 out a living thing appearing in its field except kiangs, or an" 

 occasional marmot as it sat basking near the entrance to its 

 burrow. Not even a fresh mark of an Ovis did we see to 

 encourage us. The animals had evidently shifted their 

 ground, so we resolved to follow their example. 



With this intent, next morning, leaving instructions for 

 the traps to be brought on some distance behind us, in case 

 of our meeting with game, we were on the move shortly 

 after dawn. We had crossed a high ridge, and were de- 

 scending a gentle slope beyond it, when one of the dogs, 

 which, being little more than a puppy, his owner did not 

 think it necessary to tie up, suddenly showed signs of more 

 knowledge of his calling than he had been given credit for. 

 This young beast, that answered to the name of Lukkur — 

 or rather ought to have done so — was now drawing ahead, 

 apparently on the scent of something, and neither the per- 

 suasions nor the threats of his master had any power to stop 

 him. We had not proceeded many yards when, on the 

 face of a low spur that had hitherto been hidden from our 

 sight, we descried the cause of Master Lukkur's movements. 

 A flock of seven male Oves were standing huddled together, 

 evidently watching the dog, which had disappeared in a 

 hollow lying between them and us ; and almost immediately 

 the sound of his bark was followed by the herd scamiDcring 

 wildly over the crest of the spur. My feelings at that 

 moment can easily be imagined. My anger and vexation 

 were so great, that I could with difficulty refrain from 

 shooting the confounded young beast as he came trotting 

 back after the mischief he had done. There was, however, 

 one chance left, though a very poor one. Fortunately the 

 dog had not followed the animals far, and their attention 

 had been so much taken up with his movements, tliat tliey 



