TTTK TZZAT^D 357 



I kopt steadiK- (Hi lill I had (limiiiL-slicd llic dislaiice 1)\- 

 oiR' lialf, the izzards all llic w liilc oontiiininii^' to stand at 

 "•aze, l)nt (piit*^ niia1)l(\ owiiio- to the ciiiious harmony of 

 my clotlu's with my .suiTOiuidings, to dist iii-_;uis]i fViciiil or 

 foe. ^^ hen 1 got within wliat I jndged to be three hundred 

 yards, the red rocks came to a sudden end, and were suc- 

 ceeded by blue sliale. It was clear that, with a ditlerent 

 ])ackoT()un(k I must be instantly identified. Now it so 

 happened that, a few da\-.s l)efore, 1 had Ijeen shouting a 

 rifie- match at a target, and knew exactly wliat mv 

 •400 Honry eoidd do at tliis very distance, although 

 it has only one fixed sight. Besides, tlir izzards 

 otiered an unusuallx' dear mark, standing, as they were, 

 rigid as carved stones against the white slopes of the peak ; 

 and, as it was hopeless to get any nearer, I thought 1 

 would try the shut; but J was considerablv surprised 

 when the smoke cleared, and revealed the une 1 had selected 

 lyinfv stoue dead. It was a sio-ht to see the rest of tlie 

 herd scattei- with tremendous leaps, and, accompanied by 

 the lioundino' stones which tliev disturl)ed and a cloud of 

 dust, bound and slide down the cliff towarcU me, f'oi- 

 apparently they could not believe that the shot could have 

 proceeded from the dim and distant object which they had 

 been watching. That was 1 think the longest successful 

 shot I v\v\- made which was not an absolute iluke. 



C'elestin had now a vorv heavv burden, but I was 

 destined to add to his lo;id. After another two hoiii's' 

 clambering, and just before we began the steepest part of 

 the descent, wi- saw another band at no great distance, 

 but also appai-ent 1\' in an unstalkablc }»lace. M\ unliriii-j; 

 companion pi'opo.-rd that I .should get as near them as I 



