SPORT AND TRAVEL 61 



the right height above the hoof-marks to have passed 

 through the animal's body. As I had fired from 

 below, the bullet was certainly not high enough above 

 the ledge to have passed over the goat's back, and, 

 from its position in reference to the foot-marks, must 

 have either gone through him, or just grazed beneath 

 his chest behind the fore legs. The second bullet had 

 been a little too high, and the third too low, both 

 being registered plainly enough, like the first, on the 

 wall of rock. It was not only the position of the 

 bullet-mark, but the way the old goat first fired at 

 came rushing down the rock after the shot, that made 

 me think he was hit ; and to this day I cannot recon- 

 cile myself to the idea that I missed him. 1 However, 

 search as we would, we could find no trace of blood, 

 and at last had to give it up as a bad job. I was 

 bitterly disappointed, and needed all the comfort the 

 little Doctor could give, in the way of assurances that 

 we should see more old goats, to keep up my spirits. 



Had I only been a good shot, I thought, I might 

 have secured three magnificent trophies at one 

 glorious stroke ; but as it was, I had bungled a 

 chance that might never come again. Well, I had 

 learned, at any rate, that there were some magnificent 

 old billy-goats on the hill, and I determined to per- 

 severe in their pursuit, and do my best to secure a 

 good head ; so after finally abandoning the search for 



1 This goat, a six-years-old ram, was found dead by a Turkish hunter 

 some time after my visit, and his horns were shown to Mr. H. W. 



