84 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



ravine they were now in. This was very deep and 

 comparatively narrow, the lower slopes being covered 

 with bush. Presently the two old goats, now no 

 longer attended by the lame nanny, appeared climb- 

 ing the farther side of the ravine, and after showing 

 themselves from time to time amongst the trees and 

 bushes, at last climbed on to a wall of rock just 

 opposite to me, and once more stood in full view. 

 They evidently thought they were now safe, as they 

 commenced to cross the cliff very slowly, contin- 

 ually stopping to look back across the valley. The 

 one-horned ram was leading, and with all his faults 

 he was the one I was most anxious to shoot, as he 

 looked such a patriarch. I judged him about three 

 hundred yards distant, probably somewhat more ; and 

 so putting up the third sight, and taking a steady aim 

 from a sitting position, I fired, and held my breath 

 and gazed with strained eyes towards the small whit- 

 ish object moving slowly across the rock. Hurrah ! a 

 hit, a most palpable hit ! for although no thud brought 

 conviction to my ear that my bullet had sped true, I 

 saw the old goat stagger as if about to fall, and then 

 recovering himself limp slowly forwards ; whilst his 

 companion, that had been some yards behind him, on 

 hearing the shot, rushed past him across the rock, and 

 bounding up a grassy slope above, disappeared over 

 the crest of the next rise. The wounded animal 

 limped slowly forwards and upwards, looking every 

 instant as if it was about to fall, and at length disap- 



