CHAPTER XXXV 



COLONEL WARD ON THE MARKHOR 



COLONEL WARD, in his little book, gives some 

 statistics concerning the game shot in Cashmere 

 during the last ten years. The average for red 

 bears was 85 a year, and according to official infor- 

 mation the largest was 7 feet 6 inches, measured 

 from the eyes to the tail. No matter how I pull 

 and drag at it, I can't get my skin to stretch to more 

 than 6 feet 10 inches. 



But I must be satisfied with what 1 have got, and 

 I am indeed very pleased at getting a red bear at all. 

 It is far easier to procure a black one, as the statistics 

 show, 322 being the yearly average. It is almost 

 the same proportion in numbers as that between the 

 Cashmere cousins, markhor and ibex : 1 1 8 markhors 

 as against 286 ibex. 



The horns of the ibex are perhaps more handsome, 

 making as they do such a charming arched line in 

 profile ; but every sportsman in Asia puts a higher 

 value on the majestic, snake-like, twisted, slender 



antlers of the markhor. Then, too, ibex, though of 



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