IBEX-SHOOTING IN BALTISTAN 149 



to be covered by us at top speed when once the last 

 of the herd had disappeared; and the prospect 

 made me doubly impatient to be off. 



A full hour of shivering in the gully had passed. 

 Then the leader of the herd reached the top. He 

 stood for a moment outlined against the sky, his 

 great ridged horns curving gracefully over his back, 

 I could see that they were over forty inches, 

 looked steadily over the ridge for several minutes to 

 make sure that all was safe ahead, then turned to 

 call his herd and disappeared. Without moving from 

 my crouched position, I carefully removed all un- 

 necessary clothing, shed my fur gloves, and slipped 

 a cartridge into each barrel of the .450 cordite Hol- 

 land and Holland express. There might be no time 

 for loading at the top. Kadera held the 30-40 Win- 

 chester, whose magazine was full, and started to fol- 

 low my example of slipping a cartridge into the bar- 

 rel, but I motioned him to stop. Put anything into 

 the hands of an excited Kashmiri but a loaded gun. 

 One by one the rest of the herd stood outlined on the 

 ridge and dropped out of sight, but the stragglers 

 were slow, and without the fur coat my joints were 

 already stiffening with cold. I moved slightly to 

 ease my position there was a scurry above us, and 

 the straggling cows dashed over the ridge. Had 

 I spoiled the stalk? If so, there would be ample 



