216 SHORT STALKS 



liojDeless task in tlic complications of this hill. In the 

 course of the search we got wet through, and in trying to 

 dry my coat over the fire Celestin burned the back of it — 

 my best "go-to-meeting" one, as it happened; but I 

 would have given twenty coats to get that beast. 



That was not the only piece of bad luck which I had — 

 for from it. Once in a drive I was posted on the edge of 

 a ravine ; there were eddies of wind about this ravine, and 

 in the middle of the drive a puff in my back warned me 

 that if I stayed where I was I might spoil sport. I there- 

 fore withdrew to a less exposed post a hundred yards 

 behind. 1 had scarcely settled there, when two capital 

 males came and stood within fifty yards of my first 

 position. It was still a possible shot, but a long one, and 

 intervening trees now made it necessary to shoot quickly 

 or not at all. 



The cartridge missed fire. There was no time to 

 change it, as they were just moving, but, hastily cocking 

 the ride, I tried the same cartridge again. That time it 

 went, but wide of the mark — a miss, but excusable under 

 the circumstances. They went up to Findlay, who got 

 them both, a capital right and left. These were the best 

 two we got, and I fear I was envious. 



The Turks are very excitable when they see game, and 

 should never be allowed to remain near you at your post 

 if it can be avoided. One who accompanied a member of 

 my party to his post, and who could not be persuaded 

 to take his departure, rose in his place on seeing ibex 

 approaching, and began frantically gesticulating and pull- 

 ing at the EtFendi's sleeve and pointing out the game 

 which that sportsman had perceived long before. Natur- 



