CHAPTER IV. 

 MARKHOR, 



So far I have confined myself to some of the sport within reach of those 

 whose duties lead them to out-of-the-way places in the plains, or who may 

 be stationed in some of our most thronged cantonments. The Himalayas, 

 ever glorious and invigorating, are getting more opened up every year, 

 facilities for travelling to their base being nearly perfect ; so I purpose 

 just telling of some of the sport enjoyed with the dear old '450 in 

 wandering through them. I never penetrated into Ladak or Thibet, 

 owing to various changes in plans, and difficulties in getting enough 

 leave. Only once had I the latter quality, and then unexpected obstacles 

 occurred ; but I have visited the range from the Indus (west of Murree) 

 to Darjeeliug, and seen the haunts of much game, although I cannot in 

 any way claim to have made such things as " large bags." 



Perhaps the markhor deserves first place in the list of game. To my 

 mind he is the monarch of the Himalayas. The Ovis polii has a heavier, 

 and the maral a more beautiful head ; but the former is found on tolerably 

 level, open ground, we may surmise, as the length of horn would much 

 incommode him on precipices or in woods. The latter inhabits much the 

 same style of ground as the markhor, judging by the beautiful pictures in 

 Atkinson's books, "The Altai Range" and " Upper and Lower Amoor; " 

 but both are in ranges so distant, that they have no claim to be compared 

 with him in these remarks, and few Englishmen can say at the end of the 

 nineteenth century that they have shot either. 



Anyone who has seen the markhor of Kashmir in his wild state 

 (amongst precipices, running close together, deep into high ranges 

 crowned with the fine silver birch and junipers, as high as shrubs can 

 find a soil and climate suitable to their existence) must allow that there 

 is no game more hoary and noble looking. Can you not picture to 

 yourself an animal about as big as a fallow deer, weighing perhaps as 

 much ns W 2501b., with a rough, shaggy coat, horns that reach over his stern 

 when the head is thrown back, and a massive beard, hanging down a foot 

 at least, which would fill your two hands ? There is a gradual twist in 

 those horns, varying in the number of turns according to the locality in 

 which bred, and a curve more graceful than pen can describe ; while the 

 eye is large and fearless, although its owner acknowledges man to be an 

 opponent he dare not face. If you study him on his native precipice, 

 surveying the neighbourhood and listening attentively for anything he 

 cannot comprehend and so marks " dangerous," there will be something 



