84 JOURNEY TO THE PAMIRS. 



sit down, as he found his breath short at these 

 high altitudes, so I got out the glasses, and very 

 soon made out Bower on the other side, about 

 the same height. Presently I heard some stones 

 rattle down the opposite slope, and saw seven 

 gooljas, who appeared to be descending to the 

 bottom, probably for their evening meal ; and 

 after looking about to see if the coast was clear, 

 they began to graze. They then worked up the 

 valley, and I determined to go in a similar direc- 

 tion, so that if they caught sight of Bower, who 

 was moving along on the sky-line, and who had 

 evidently not seen them, I should be handy, and 

 get a shot as they crossed my way. This was 

 my only chance, for the wind was blowing right 

 up the nullah. 



It was hard work scrambling over the abrupt 

 stony slopes of broken quartz, keeping our bodies 

 as low as possible amongst the stones, and lying 

 quite still in all sorts of uncomfortable positions 

 when any of the poli raised their heads to look 

 about. After a while they seemed to get uneasy, 

 then all of a sudden made up their minds and 

 turned up the slope on which we were. My 

 hopes were done for, as they would now pass at 

 least 400 yards in front of where I lay, and there 



