224 Sport and Life in the Further Himalaya 



away, from behind a sheltering ridge of rock. I 

 examined them carefully with my glasses to pick 

 out the biggest head, and then, as steady as one 

 elbow on the ground and the other jammed into a 

 corner of rock could make me, took my shot and 

 missed ! I could scarcely believe my eyes. The 

 whole herd galloped straight away. I expected 

 every moment to see one of them fall, or pull up, 

 wounded, but they got farther and farther away 

 and I could not deceive myself with that belief. 

 Following them with my glasses I watched them 

 get smaller in the distance, and after the manner 

 of their kind again and again pirouette round, fore- 

 feet stuck out, to take a look back before dashing 

 on again. And so they disappeared, and I had 

 missed the easiest shot at ammon it is possible to 

 imagine. 



A thought struck me, and I looked at the back 

 sight of my rifle. It was up to 300 yards, as I 

 had left it after shooting that wretched gazelle ! 



I have never forgotten the lesson, but have 

 often thought that fate was unkind to choose 

 such a momentous occasion as a shot at an ammon 

 to impress it on me. 



