IBEX-SHOOTING IN BALTISTAN 155 



brought us to the ridge without a stumble, and we 

 dropped over. 



The next five minutes made all the weary miles and 

 days of travelling worth while many times over. My 

 first impression was that we had somehow fallen in 

 the very midst of a perfectly tame herd of the largest 

 ibex on record, for the animals appeared so thunder- 

 struck at seeing us quietly and suddenly drop in 

 among them that for a moment they remained per- 

 fectly motionless. Then of course there was a scurry, 

 and the sport began. 



My first buck dropped before he had covered 

 ten yards, and a careful shot from a knee-rest 

 brought down another that had gone but a short 

 distance farther two forty-inch heads. I was now 

 allowed but one more by law, and was unwilling to 

 fire at any ordinary-sized head ; several bucks were 

 still in sight, but they were scattered and were tear- 

 ing up the mountain-side at a rapid pace. 



Kadera, however, had stopped my hand after the 

 first two successful shots, and pointed to a ridge far 

 above, from behind which in a moment dashed a 

 magnificent animal with horns very much larger 

 than any I had yet noticed. As I found afterwards, 

 he had been crouched behind a rock when we had 

 first come upon the herd, and it was for this reason 

 I had not aimed at him once. Though still not too 



