306 TWO RAMS KILLED. 



were a considerable time reaching our ground, close as it 

 appeared in a direct line. At the early hour we had set out, 

 it was too dark to take a look with the glass across the 

 hollow, but on nearing the place where, the evening before, 

 I had last seen the burrell, we descried a flock with rams in 

 it away down below. Whilst attempting to approach these, 

 another lot we had not noticed above, and which evidently 

 contained the bigger-horned fellows we wanted to find, got 

 intelligence of us and betook themselves far up the slope, 

 until they apparently thought they were well out of danger, 

 as after a time they all lay down. A misty drizzling shower 

 of rain now began to fall, which, as the footing was easy and 

 the ground somewhat open, rather favoured our movements 

 than otherwise ; consequently we had little difficulty in 

 reaching a spot within eighty yards or so of where we had 

 seen the animals lie down. On reconnoitring them from 

 behind a rock, I saw they had risen and were slowly moving 

 off, as if they had just got wind of us. There was no time 

 to lose, so I let the biggest fellow have it, when down he 

 went, rolling over and over among the rocks. The rest sped 

 on, but as the ground they had to get over was rough and 

 steep, I was able to get a chance at another ram before they 

 all disappeared in succession round a sort of ledge overhang- 

 ing a deep drop. 



As we could see that the first ram was safely disposed of, 

 we followed up as quickly as possible in order to mark the 

 flock, for both Puddoo and I thought the second shot had 

 also told. We had got round the ledge and were making 

 our way over the crags beyond it, when Puddoo,- who was 

 tracking ahead, stopped short, and gazing downward, re- 

 marked, " There's no need to go farther, for look there ! " 

 The steep rocks below were smeared with blood, from 

 which, and other unmistakable signs, it was evident that 

 the wounded ram had toppled over and slid down them, 

 though, from the drop beneath being so abrupt, we were 

 unable to see how far he had gone. We now turned back 



