180 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



the end of my barrels was no longer visible. 

 Taking out a piece of white paper, I rolled it 

 round a bit of twine and then fastened it, a 

 clumsy but effective sight, near the muzzle of 

 my rifle. 



After waiting another half-hour, Simon's 

 patience became exhausted, and rising he 

 signed to me that it was no good waiting any 

 longer that night. Rather disappointed, I 

 followed him across the field, when just as we 

 were leaving it the sharp, distinct snap of a 

 bough in the forest at our backs set my heart 

 beating. Boughs don't break in that way 

 by themselves, and it was not very long before 

 Simon and I, kneeling, with straining ears, 

 amongst the barley, heard another twig snap, 

 this time just on the confines of the field 

 itself. Then there was absolute silence for 

 ten minutes, and we feared he had winded us 

 and gone, when about two hundred yards 

 below us, moving slowly and silent as a 



