A LONG AND LUCKY SHOT. 261 



in all probiibility Lad not observed ours. We therefore 

 resolved to follow them, on the chance of again finding 

 them. 



By the greatest good luck we overtook them about a 

 I mile beyond wdiere they had disappeared. Although some 

 of them had begun to feed, they were still in a restless 

 state ; so the only thing to be done was to patiently watch 

 them as they kept slowly moving up the hillside. At last 

 one of them lay down, and the rest soon followed his 

 example. Crawling backwards until we were well under 

 cover, we again got on our feet, and as the wind was 

 favourable, we resolved to try and get above them. To 

 effect this was by no means easy, as the face of the hill 

 we had to climb was awfully steep, and composed of 

 nothing but loose sharp fragments of rock, that afforded 

 most uncertain footing, and frequent stoppages were neces- 

 sary to take breath. 



On reaching what we considered a sufficient height to be 

 well above the place where the flock was lying, after a few 

 minutes' rest we had to resume the stooping and crawling 

 process for some distance. But notwithstanding all our 

 caution, the wily animals detected us in some manner, 

 for the next sight I got of them was at about 200 yards, 

 as they were galloping away up the sloping hillside. Sight- 

 ing for that distance, and making for a lump of rock a few 

 yards in front that offered a good rest, I placed my cap 

 under the rifle and waited until they stopped, as I expected 

 j they would do before going far, to look back. Taking a 

 full bead on the one I thought had the largest horns, I let 

 drive. Away they went in a cluster over the rise above 

 them, leaving the lord of the flock half dragging his hind- 

 quarters after him as he in vain tried to overtake the rest. 

 I gave them a parting salute with the other barrel as they 

 topped the rise, which compliment they failed to acknow- 

 ledge. This was a lucky chance and no mistake, as the 

 distance must have been quite 250 yards. The poor brute 



