Chamba into Kashmir 135 



quarter of an hour's nervous tension followed, and 

 then the shikari reappeared and beckoned to me. 

 I stole down as noiselessly as possible, and then 

 followed to where the others crouched behind a rock. 



Silently we drew ourselves up and looked over 

 a sight one could never forget ; culminating points 

 stamp themselves indelibly on the memory. Below 

 us lay our raison d'etre. Quite at home, on a small 

 patch of sloping grass about a hundred yards off, 

 across a small ravine there were the tahr. How 

 can I describe our feelings when we suddenly saw 

 them leap up and rush off like the wind ! . . . The 

 disappointment and shock were so great that neither 

 of us fired ; besides, they were out of sight in a 

 twinkling. 



We were off, too. It was impossible that they 

 could have been disturbed by us ; therefore within 

 the bounds of probability that, not having seen us, 

 they might come round and give us a shot. S. took 

 the left ; M. the right ; and what we had faintly hoped 

 for came to pass. S. had two easy shots, and killed 

 with his second barrel. Meanwhile, M. ran and 

 climbed, helped here and there by the shikari in 

 front ; suddenly he dropped, and cried, " Shoot ! " 

 Over his shoulder M. saw an old grey goat going 

 his best pace, and up with her rifle and had a snap- 

 shot at him. The result was a brilliant fluke ; he 

 rolled over like a rabbit. We were too jubilant for 

 words, and the shikari was beside himself; M. had 

 now a reputation to which to live up ! 



