TllK KA'I'lIKi; ol" ALL Till': (JOATS -21 r, 



iiiuleroo a complete eliaiige in ;i[ipeai-ance, becoming liglit 

 gray with a ch'arly-defined ])laek sliouKler-stripc, wliicli 

 gives llu'iii a xcry small appi'araiicL'. it i.s a sight to stir 

 the heart of a liuuter to see such a one sunning himself 

 on some t(^W('r of rock, and, 1)V way of inoi'iiing exercise, 

 beudino- his head to the ''round and dri\in<j; his sworddike 

 black liorns into some bush, of wliidi he ■" makes hay"' in 

 about two minutes. I only once got a diance at one of 

 these o-rand old '' billies," and that 1 muddli'd. \\\' had 

 taken refuge from a sharp shower, in a cave, or rather shelf 

 on the cliir, prolectcd by a long overhanging rock. The 

 rain drift('(l in, and Celestin carried mv rifle to one end 

 wlifi'e it was more sheltered. AVc made a fire at the 

 other end. and 1 was sitting over it with my back to 

 the view. when, with a fixed stare, Omar pointed 

 with his fniger over .my shoulder. There, about a 

 hundred yards off, was a splendid male ibex such as 

 I have described, with l)lack horns wliidi curved luH-k 

 nearly to his tail. There are not more than two or three 

 like that on the mountain. Tie was quite unsus[)icious, 

 and cabnh' inovinsj- down the I'ocks, on account of the 

 liad weather I sup[)Ose. Kisking discovery, I crept to the 

 place where my ritle lay. Two trees grew across that end 

 of the opening, and I could not shoot from there. Back I 

 crawled, and sat down for the shot. lie was slowly 

 stalking ilowii the rocks. Ijut still witliin ea.sy range. I 

 levelled my piece, but at that moment a gust of wind 

 blew the. flami^ and smoke across niv line of si-jht. and I 

 could sec nothing. The next instant he was round a rock 

 ami gone. 1 neai-]y turned sick wiili desperation. ( )f 

 course we followe<l and triecl to fin<l him acr;dn — an ;ill but 



