SARDINIA AND ITS WILD SHEEP 23 



mounting all other ditlieulties, aiTives within two liuiidiciL 

 yards, only to tiiul the treacherous wind tiddiiig the 

 backs of his ears. W'vU lie knows that lie will presently 

 find their couches warm but empty. I also fancy, though 

 I cannot prove this meanness against them, that they 

 practise an artful dodge which is not unknown to red 

 deer. This is to cii'de round an ohjccl which has excited 

 some suspicion until they get the wind of it. 



jManv of our longest and most interesting days were 

 spent in vainly trying to defeat craft of this kind, and 

 to circumvent some strategical position that ultimately 

 proved impregnable. At last they begin to feed ; fading 

 light compels us to do something, a fiat crawl through 

 thin macquia, a suspicious old ewe in the way, who will 

 keep looking back instead of attending to her supper, 

 finally a long running shot in the failing light without 

 result — some such record was a frequent experience, but 

 such days are not failure. 



The ground on which we found them may be described 

 as broken rather than mountainous. The valley in which 

 we chieHy hunted is a wide tract bounded on either side 

 by consideraldc ridges, and containing quite a maze, oi 

 shallow corries, ail'urding excellent shelter in all weathers, 

 but where the wind was most aggravating for the stalker. 

 Most of the valleys hereabouts contain groves of fine old 

 ilex in the hollows. These ilex woods contain splendid 

 timber of that species, as well as oaks. I saw one of the 

 former in the hollow of which four men could easily have 

 lain abreast. But the destruction of them is most melan- 

 choly. The j^xistonili or shepherds seem, out of pure 

 wantonness, to build llieir fires under the line.t)t trees oi 



