SAT^niXIA WD ITS AVn,D SlIKEP 29 



for, thougii \vc faced I ho wcutliei', and l»y patience siie- 

 eooded in fiiidiiiL;- tlio 'jamo, some slindderino" ciUTont of 

 air. w liiilinof round the corries and reboiindinc; from the 

 clitrs. wouhl cany a wai'ning to tlieir senses, from wliatever 

 quarter we attempted to api)roach, and time after time 

 o-ood stalks were spoiled. Still we were often reminded of 

 (Uir latitude, even on tlie worst davs, 1)\' distant visions, as 

 ihrough a veil, of gleams of southern sun hathing in gohlen 

 light the low country whicli lay beyond the iidluenee of 

 this centre of storms. More rarely we enjoyed a whole 

 day's respite, whicli we thought heavenly by contrast, and 

 in some sheltered corner we would pretend to take a mid- 

 day siesta after the manner of these parts, with tlie head 

 pillowed on a bunch of wild thyme, and its scent filling 

 the nostrils. 



On such a day we had one of the prettiest of stalks. 

 We had spied from the top of a ridge two old stagers — rams 

 of cpiite exceptional quality — on the slope below us. They 

 were thinking of settling for the dav, and the wariness 

 with which they sought a retreat was highly instructive. 

 After trying several spots they ascended the opposite 

 slope, and at last lay down within shot of the top of it, 

 but so carefully concealed that though they la\- o\\ snow 

 and where the scrub was thin, if three ])owerful telescopes 

 had not watched every move, we should certainlv have 

 lost tlieni when thev '•couched." We 1i;h1 now to tret 

 down our side of the valley, wliidi was, naturallw in full 

 view; but the )i\nc(iH'm,\\\\\^:\\ generalK' f,i\<iiiis tin- o-;ime, 

 sometimes hel[is ilii- Imnter. L\iiig on <iiir h.ii-ks. ;iiiil 

 pushing ourselves down ilirough the snow with oui- elbows, 

 we slid in and out among the low bushes, as well cojicealed 



