SPORT AND TRAVEL 73 



whom I will call Mustapha. About an hour after 

 leaving camp we came upon a small herd of seven or 

 eight goats, standing in rather a favourable position 

 for a shot, on a bare steep slope of rock. When we 

 saw them we were a little above them and about three 

 hundred yards distant, and might, I think, have 

 approached to a point on the top of the cliff within 

 one hundred and fifty yards of them ; but as they were 

 all ewes and kids, without even a young ram amongst 

 them, I did not attempt to stalk them, and after 

 watching them through my glass until they disap- 

 peared one after another behind a projecting buttress 

 of rock, bade my guide by signs to proceed in search 

 of nobler game. As the Doctor had carefully ex- 

 plained to him that I did not want to shoot ewes, but 

 was very anxious to bag a big old ram, Mustapha was 

 not at all surprised at my leaving the little flock of 

 kids and nannies alone ; but after making signs which 

 I took to mean that there were some big billies on the 

 mountain with great curved horns, proceeded silently 

 and cautiously on his way onwards and upwards. 



It was nearly midday when we reached a project- 

 ing buttress of rock at the head of one of the highest 

 corries on the Maimun Dagh, and leaving Mustapha 

 crouching close to a rock some yards behind me, I 

 advanced to the very edge of the cliff, and lying flat 

 on my stomach searched the ravines below me with 

 the glasses. But in vain, for, good as the ground 

 looked, no sign of life was to be seen. I hardly 



