16 SPORTING WANDERINGS. 



for Rasaka. Finding it was impossible to move 

 him any distance, I decided there was nothing for 

 it but to return to camp and rig up some sort of 

 a litter to carry him down in ; but as I doubted 

 much getting back before dark, when travelling 

 on such bad ground would be dangerous, we 

 moved him into a sort of cave, where, making 

 him as comfortable as was possible under the 

 circumstances, I left him with the coolie, tell- 

 ing him if I did not return in time he must 

 stay there for the night. I had some difficulty 

 in finding my way without a guide, and did not 

 get down before dark. Early next morning I 

 was back, and got the poor fellow down to the 

 village, which was not far from my camp. He 

 then told me he felt certain he should not live for 

 twenty-four hours ; and as he was spitting and 

 passing blood, I feared it was too likely. He 

 died that night. I was much distressed at losing 

 him like this, and was very glad to get a note 

 from a friend asking me to join him, so left the 

 fatal spot at once. I stayed in Crushnai a 

 month, killed a dozen ibex, and so kept my 

 promise to the mess. 



During my next leave, in 1884, I determined 

 to go as far as I could towards Chinese Turk- 



