SARDINIA AND ITS WILD SIIKKI' 31 



the wind ayhs too Jiigli to hold the olasR stondv. So we 

 desceiidetl into a deep valley at right angles to the course 

 of the wind, and sought a big rock. Here we built a huo-e 

 fire, and, baking alternate sides of our bodies, waited to see 

 whose patience would first give out. 



For five hours we waited for a chance, and then gave 

 it \\\K and followed the stream homewards, but kejDt a 

 bright look-out as we passed certain deep hollows on the 

 sholtorod side, well k-nowing that, in W{\-ithoi' like this, nil 

 the living things in the valley must be concentrated in 

 such spots. AVe had ])assed several of these, and were 

 nearing the high road when Celestin, who was in front, 

 dropped on the track. A\ e followed his example and felt 

 i'nr our glasses, now- almost useless from damp. Ilioh 

 up I he slope he had seen a moutlon, and we now made out 

 four cunning old rams, the same, as "\ve believed, wdiom we 

 had seen on previous occasions, but who had always eluded 

 us. They were sheltering under a steep slope where the 

 patches of heather were Cjuite six feet high, wdiicli ac- 

 counted for their choice of the spot. Getting into a 

 hollow we went straight up at them, with very faint 

 expectation of getting within shooting distance. Perhaps 

 they thought that nobod}' would be tool enou<di to 

 be hunting on such a day. At any rate thev were less 

 vigilant than usual. Though tlu^ wind seemed to be 

 whiiliiig aliout 111 every directiuu we g(it right up to 

 thrill bctbic they were ''jumped." It was impossible to 

 trll exactlv where tliev were, and the first sio-n I saw 

 w'as a pair of horns describing a series of arched curves. 



I had just time to shout to G to l(»ok out. when 



the}' bolted up the lull across a patch of open ground. 



