CHAPTER XXII 



COREL 



WE must have been climbing for about an hour and 

 a half, grass-grown precipices, stony ground, rocks, 

 and a bushy undergrowth presenting difficulties turn 

 and turn about. Now Sultana calls a halt, and each 

 of the three shikaris takes a handful of earth and 

 lets it trickle through his fingers. 



" The wind is in our favour." 



Slowly the face of the moon grows paler. Icy 

 air makes me shiver, bathed as I am in sweat 

 after the hard climb. Samdu, well acquainted 

 with the locality, now creeps forward on all fours 

 and takes a stealthy look round, studying the 

 distance through the telescope. We follow him 

 as noiselessly as possible, and I get ready to shoot 

 under cover of some low-growing bushes. Gradu- 

 ally dawn approaches, and then outlines of the 

 nearest objects can be more plainly recognised every 

 moment. 



A deathlike stillness reigns, broken only from 



time to time by the harsh cry of a vulture. I am 



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