90 AMONG THE PAMIRS. 



open. After staring a minute, he cantered off 

 quite strong, heading for a snow-ridge which ran 

 along the top of the opposite sky-line, and fell 

 away on this side in a steep curtain. He paused 

 for a moment as he got near this obstacle, then 

 putting on a spurt, he popped over and disap- 

 peared. 



As there was an icy wind, sure forerunner of a 

 snowstorm, and which froze the very marrow in 

 my bones, I did not stop long to consider my posi- 

 tion ; and though disliking the idea of leaving a 

 wounded animal, I felt that to follow it into an un- 

 known region, in the midst of a snowstorm, would 

 be madness. I therefore began to retrace my steps. 

 The descent over rocky ddbris covered with snow 

 was very laborious; even stout shooting- boots 

 with nails gave a very uncertain grip, and a slip 

 meant a sprained ankle or worse. After a time 

 I got out of the snow-cloud, and could see my 

 way better. The slope was still very rough, and 

 my boots, of which I had not too many pairs, 

 were getting cut to pieces. By degrees I got to 

 the bottom of the ravine, and while thinking over 

 my luck, and wondering what the others were 

 doing, did not look about very much, but, on 

 turning a corner, looked up the nullah, which was 



