In Gurwal 



get our breath, and use glasses. The sun is now 

 up, and though the peaks hide him, he is touching 

 up the upper parts of the ridge, right round the 

 cul de sac, and gradually stealing down towards us. 

 The climb has warmed me up, and at moments 

 such as these one realizes, or ought to realize, 

 one's fortune sound in wind and limb, amid 

 scenery which for grandeur is unsurpassed if not 

 unequalled in the world; game, if not in pro- 

 fusion, at least in every direction, and shooting 

 rights unlimited over a thousand hills ; and mean- 

 while millions of unhappy mortals are still in bed, 

 with no very exciting prospect before them when 

 they do wake. 



So far, so good. But the other side of the 

 picture was to present itself before that day was 

 up, and perhaps few would have cared to change 

 lots then. 



Presently my shikara, Hira Singh, spots thar, 

 and with my glasses I can make out a herd 

 about half a mile away, towards the head of the 

 cul de sac, apparently leaping in single file up a 

 precipice. There is no cover but big boulders, 

 and these cannot often be utilized, as the game 

 tracks are almost the only negotiable bits of ground. 

 With great care and much stooping and lying 

 down, I get within about three hundred yards of 

 some ; but most of them have now moved further 

 up, and I realize that they are getting over the 



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