SPORT AND TRAVEL 35 



ground, when we came upon it suddenly, lying within 

 ten yards of us under a bush at the bottom of a little 

 gully. It did not give me a chance of a shot, as it 

 rushed away under cover of the bank. Up to this point 

 the spoor had been very easy to follow, but beyond it 

 there was very little blood. After following the tracks 

 slowly and carefully some distance farther, we at last 

 lost them amongst some scrubby bush, and finally 

 abandoned the pursuit, only reaching camp late in 

 the evening, dead tired and parched with thirst. 



In the evening I had a long talk with the old 

 head man of Atrassan ; and learning that there was a 

 mountain a few miles round the coast to the westward, 

 often frequented by wild goats at this season of the 

 year, I determined to shift my camp altogether to a 

 place called Markos, as it seemed to me that although 

 there were a good many ewes and kids on the Musa 

 Dagh, big rams were excessively scarce there, and 

 might prove to be more plentiful on the new ground. 

 Anyway, it was a chance which I resolved to try, as 

 the time I could devote to wild-goat hunting was 

 fast drawing to a close, if I was to catch the steamer 

 leaving for Smyrna on September 29. Thus, on the 

 following morning, I got everything carried down to 

 the boat, and, the wind serving, embarked forthwith 

 with my two Greek servants, the old head man and 

 Mahmoud also accompanying us. About one o'clock 

 we reached Markos, and as the mountain on which we 

 hoped to find the wild goats rose sheer from the sea, 



