A LIKELY PLACE. 83 



but it was impossible to keep them to heel. As 

 soon as we got them in, another hare would start 

 up, and they were off again. 



After going about six miles we found ourselves 

 on a good grass flat, at the top of the main val- 

 ley, up which we had been working. This was a 

 favourable place to stop at, as Barat said there 

 were some fine beats in various directions, while 

 there was grass and fuel for camp necessaries. 



The shikaris did not cast up until mid-day, 

 without, however, having had a shot ; and when, 

 at 4 P.M., we sent for them, intending to have a 

 try up the mountain, they said they were much 

 too tired to go, and wanted to cook some food. 

 We began to think our Kirghiz gillies a bad 

 bargain, but concluded we had better not run 

 them too hard at first, or they might leave us in 

 the lurch. Bower said he would go alone ; and 

 Jaffer, my servant, saying he would like to have 

 a sight of a goolja, I gave him my rifle, and we 

 started off. At the mouth of the nullah, Bower 

 took the left spur and I the right. It looked a 

 very likely place, having good patches of green 

 grass, and a small stream running along the 

 bottom. When we had scrambled up the stony 

 ridge, and began to get blown, Jaffer was glad to 



