On the "Roof of the World" 169 



became exhausted in the deep snow, on the surface 

 of which the pack ran with ease, he galloped 

 round in rings, stood on a rock for a moment 

 at bay, then plunged on again. The tracks 

 became confused, showing his last desperate 

 struggles, and now what remained of him lay 

 in the centre of a trampled and blood-stained 

 circle of snow. 



Wolves are not the only foes of Polo's sheep. 

 An opportunity of bagging a snow -leopard was 

 lost when I came face to face with one of these 

 handsome beasts on a recently killed ram. My 

 rifle was in its cover, and by the time I had 

 got it out he was gone like a shadow up a 

 boulder-covered hill, on the top of which, like 

 a great cat, he lay down to watch me, nor did 

 all the craft of my stalker get me a shot at that 

 embodiment of feline wariness. 



The Khirgiz do all their hunting with the help 

 of dogs, and, in view of the possibility of a 

 wounded beast, it is well to arrange to have 

 one or two of these animals in camp. A 

 wounded poli is a far more difficult animal to 

 approach than an unwounded one, and that is 

 saying a good deal. Even when his injury is 

 a mortal one, after leading one a most exhausting 

 chase in deep snow, he may escape altogether. 

 The story of one such pursuit, which nearly ended 



