In Theory at all Events 317 



noiselessly into position. Again the difficulty with 

 the tripod legs, but with an infinity of care and 

 trouble I had it at length propped up with stones 

 and fairly firm. I raised myself slowly up and 

 pointed the camera at the herd. They still had 

 not moved. " Now, my good shikari, drop that 

 rifle and hand me the focussing hood." He handed 

 it up and I began to focus. 



At this moment a fine mizzle began to fall 

 and I had to wipe the lens before finishing 

 focussing. " It's very difficult," groaned Gul Sher. 

 Still the herd had not moved ; there was the 

 family party enjoying their midday siesta and 

 the patriarch still doing sentry-go. Again I drew 

 the hood over my head and began to focus. One 

 turn of the screw, two turns, three turns, now 

 the image is getting distinct, rocks and trees 

 begin to appear; now everything is clear, but 

 where, oh where, are the ibex ? "Where are they?" 

 I whisper from under the hood. " Gone," an- 

 swered a sepulchral voice. I threw the hood off 

 and gasped " Where ? " Gul Sher with a stony 

 face pointed to a ridge half a mile away, and 

 there, there, was the herd all standing in a clump 

 looking back at me. After a moment's pause 

 they disappeared. "Come, pack up," I said, "I'm 

 off." "Yes, sahib" replied my shikari, and we 

 returned to camp without another word. Though 



