70 THE MARKHOR 



at least get across the chasm along the top of the 

 ridge ! But no, in order not to be seen, we must 

 climb down the side of the slope. The shikaris 

 take my rifle, telescope, and cartridges, and, keeping 

 me between them in the steep places, land me safely 

 on the other side in ten minutes. Soon afterwards 

 we reach the projecting rock. I lie down, creep 

 forward, and warily raise my head. Sure enough, 

 there he stands before me, about four hundred yards 

 off, staring straight at me ! Can he have got wind 

 of us, or did he hear the falling stones ? 



I quickly screw the telescope on to my rifle behind 

 a sheltering bush, rest my arm on a rock, using 

 Samdu's puggree as a cushion, take aim and shoot. 



" Missed him ! " 



The buck makes off at a tremendous rate. 



But what's that ? Suddenly he stops dead, and 

 the next moment down he rolls from rock to rock 

 into the abyss below. 



Two of tke men go after him, and return a little 

 later carrying his skin and head. 



" Bara ? " 1 call out to them. 



" Bara, bara," comes back the cheerful answer. 



The wonderful gorel turns out to be a chamois ! 



I could have got that with considerably less 

 trouble in the Egern Mountains ! 



