ON TIIK I MM OK TIIK DKSKllT 1 IT 



reached the spot. lie t';isil\- kcjit liimsc]!" out of si^hi in ihc 

 maze of contorted fniiows mikI ^•uI(•lles. AVas there cvei- 

 such fatal had luck from so despicable a cause ? After this 

 I u<'iicrall\' carried iiiv rith' al lull cock, Iiuul:' I)\- llic sliaii 

 on one sliouMer — a ])erfectly safe position. 



The next morning i parlh' retrieved ni}' loitunc by 

 killiuL!- mv first nionfloii. rx-atinu' the o-round like a 

 trained setter and willi litle in hand, for it is im[)ossible 

 to spy the numerous hollows, we found some veiy fresh 

 tracks, and followiiii;- these came upon a small band of 

 mouflons, who, as usually happened, had seen us first and 

 were o-oino- hard. 'I'his was excusable, for tliev were in 

 deep shadow while we were in bright sun. The shot was 

 a long and doul)tful one, but, waiting until they p)aused a 

 moment, 1 picked out the on(^ which s(>emed to 1)e the 

 bio-o-est, and had the satisfai-t ion of seeino- it tundjle 

 backwards. ()\\ing to my damaged thumb, and partially 

 left-handed condition, I f"und>le<l o\cr the hammer and so 

 failed to o;et the rifle reloaded in time for a second chance, 

 which presented itself when they paused for several 

 seconds on the sk\'-line. So exacth' the colour of the 

 rocks arc they that when 1 went up, it was (piite a long 

 time before 1 could see mv l)east, though it la\- therein 

 full view within a few yards of nu\ To in\' disu'ust it 

 proved to l)e a female, and there was a good lam in the 

 herd, (^f which T should ha\e been ]>retty sure if I had 

 been readv for thcin on the sk\-dine. The chances of 

 war had certaiidy Iteen against us so fai-. and continued so 

 to the end: but I think our mishaps reached a climax aL 

 the Salt Mountain. The sportsman who complains of his 

 luck usualh' stands as self-condemned as the woikman 



