GOOLJAS. 79 



gave them up in despair. Fortunately he had 

 taken his bearings as he went, and so got in all 

 right. So much for our first attempts ! 



We were off again next morning, separating 

 as before and taking the same line of country. 

 There were the female herd in much the same 

 spot, but below I could see a few more. Before 

 putting the glasses on them, I thought they were 

 gooljas, for they looked even at that distance 

 quite different in shape and colour. As soon as 

 I sighted them in the glass there was no doubt 

 about it. Gooljas they were, seven of them. 

 They were lying in a sort of basin, and, as 

 far as I could make out, quite unapproachable ; 

 and there was nothing for it but to wait patient- 

 ly till they moved. The hollow plain on which 

 they lay, after ascending a bit, fell abruptly in 

 the valley. If they would but get up and graze 

 their way within shot of this edge, I had them ; 

 but if they moved in the other, there was nothing 

 but open easy slopes, which would not afford 

 the slightest cover for a stalk. As they did not 

 seem in any hurry to move, I thought that in 

 case they did as I wished them to do, I would 

 take time by the forelock and meet them half- 

 way ; so I worked round the edge of the plateau, 



