240 SHORT STALKS 



The first time I actually got an ibex it gave me long 

 warning of its approacli, as the slojie consisted of loose 

 stones, and I could judge by the sound, of the spot, 

 about eighty yards below me, where it would cross. I 

 fired the moment it appeared, going at a good pace ; 

 the goat turned and sprang downwards out of my 

 sight, but I had seen the hair fly from the shoulder, and 

 knew that ibex was "my meat," The next gun, who was 

 placed a hundred and fifty yards below me, fired almost 

 at the same moment. He shouted — " I have got him ! " 

 I replied — " My ibex, I believe "^ — when the drive was over 

 we both hurried to the spot and met over the body. " It 

 fell to my shot " — " But it was my shot she got ; you will 

 find the bullet in the ofi' shoulder which you could not 

 see" — and so it proved. 



Like most animals driven in this way, they seem more 

 or less conscious of dauger in front, and their aim is always 

 to break back ; consequently a drive seldom takes place 

 without the beaters seeino; more than the ouns. " Walk 

 in line with the beaters" may be said, but the beaters are 

 often not within hearing of one another, and the ground 

 is so complicated and difficult that even a practised 

 mountaineer, unless he were familiar with its intricacies, 

 would be sure to get into trouble. I have however some- 

 times thought that one might do something by sneaking 

 about early and late among the cliff's, in the company of 

 some native familiar with their feedino; o-rounds, but I 

 have never heard of any one trying this. My first ibex 

 was only a female, and it was long l)efore I got her a mate. 

 My son had another a few days later ; after that we left 

 the ladies alone, and of course as they were not wanted, 



