2 IN KASHMIR. 



of a week the decision appears to have been too 

 abrupt ; a little farther north, south, east, or west, 

 matters would have been better. In a fortnight 

 he is keen to be off again, and in three weeks has 

 settled the details of another expedition. 



So it was with myself. For many years I had 

 enjoyed varied sport in the Himalayas ; then my 

 thoughts turned towards exploring new lands, and 

 hunting the monarch of the mountains, the grand 

 Ovis poli, or Marco Polo's sheep. Before this 

 could be achieved, however, much had to be done. 

 I propose, therefore, to relate some of my ex- 

 periences in the Himalayas which led to these 

 further wanderings. 



Being on leave one year, I went to Kashmir, 

 though without any particular object in view. 

 No sooner had I arrived, however, than the 

 shikaris fell upon me as vultures on their prey, 

 hovering round from dawn till dark. " The sahib 

 had a rifle ; why did he not take a nullah and 

 shoot ibex ? " 



When I had been in the valley about a week, 

 it struck me I might do worse ; so, engaging 

 little Rama, now one of the best shikaris in 

 Kashmir, we made a start. All the best nullahs 

 or valleys being taken, I had to content myself 



