The Big Markhor 49 



sentry posted on the look-out, we plunged into the 

 deep snow and began a slow progress across the 

 valley. It was tolerably easy going to the bottom, 

 but the wind seemed to have drifted all the snow 

 on to the south side, and the ascent became a 

 struggle. The distance was short however, we 

 had the markhor in front of us, and we floundered 

 on. The leading man frequently sank up to his 

 arm-pits in some hollow, and before we had gone 

 half-way up the hill a halt was called, and this 

 was repeated at every fifty yards or so, for there 

 is no use trying to hold a rifle steady when it's 

 " bellows to mend." A final struggle brought us 

 within five yards of the top, and while I sat down 

 to recover my wind and clear my Mannlicher from 

 snow, Gul Sher crawled on and looked over. A 

 nod from him showed me it was all right, and that 

 at last I was within shot of the big markhor. On 

 the next minute hung the result of many days' 

 toil. After seeing to the rifle, I had meant to 

 give myself another fifteen seconds in which to 

 steady down after our climb, when Gul Sher 

 whispered, " Quick, Sahib, I think they've got our 

 wind." 



I was down in the snow beside the shikari. He 

 was trembling as if he had the ague. The mar- 

 khor were on the move. Three or four were 

 standing looking our way and the rest moving 



