TllK rVi;KNKAN IBEX 231 



deepest shadow, en. ilinu' luirsclves after <>ui- i'Iiml> of fniir 

 thousand feet. The .Iinie sun was Imsy witli I he sii<i\\ 

 overhead, and a e(nitiniioiis sliower of <lr<)])s, intensely 

 illuniinalcil. tell across tlic (tpcii iiioiitli of our rulu^e. 

 Just outside I his huuinous curtain, a flight of swifts (hirted 

 and screanKMl. hut tin's was onl\- th(^ foreground. We 

 were hio'h enouuii to dwarl" the cra<>"i>"v rido-e which forms 

 the southern side of the vaUcy, and I lie eye swept as if 

 tVoni a liallodu. the nian\'-coloureil pK-iinsol' Aragon, spread 

 below us like a map. 



The huge battlement which encompasses the valley 

 sometimes projects into it in towering proniontoi'ies, like 

 that which forms the background in the ilhistration. 

 and which is connected with the main mass behind it bv a 

 narrow isthmus of I'ock. Sometimes the wall recedes into 

 deep bays, but always follows the same level lines, and otters 

 the same hopeless front to the climber. Oidy in one spot 

 for many miles is it sufficiently broken down to afiord a 

 difficult access to human feet and hamls. In one othei- 

 place the broken staircase above so nearly apjtroaches that 

 below, that it occurred to me some years as^o to see what 

 couhl be ddiic \\x artificial means. A certain liold Tuaxm 

 was susjiendcd from above and chiselle(l out holes in the 

 sheer face, into which iron pegs were inserted. This .sca/cr 

 tie ferro is not a nice place foi" a ])lainsman. but it allonls 

 convenient access to some excelleni izzard ground, and saves 

 tin.' shejiherds, who summer in the uppei' ivgidu.-. )nan\' 

 a wear\' ti'ani|). The tir.>t time I caini' down it \\\\ hunter 

 followed me carr\'ing an izzard. which I had |u-l kille<l. 

 The leu'S of a dead izzard are alwa\"s f'a>liiieil id'jeihei- ami 

 suspended across the bearers forehea<l. while the body 



