WOUNDED RAM FOUND. 95 



down from the Kunjut border, taking a couple of 

 yaks with us to bring back the spoils if we got 

 any. 



We had not gone very far on the steppe which 

 ran along the edge of the valley when we saw 

 some lammergeirs sitting about, which meant 

 meat of some sort in the vicinity. Looking about, 

 I thought there was a dead animal, and on draw- 

 ing near found it to be a poli ram. A good deal 

 had been eaten by the lammergeirs the previous 

 day, and they were evidently waiting for the sun 

 to thaw the meat, which had frozen hard during 

 the night, to conclude their meal. We went on, 

 wondering how he had met his death, when it 

 suddenly struck me he must be the one I had 

 wounded, and going back, I examined him more 

 closely. I could not make out any bullet-wound, 

 but one haunch amongst other parts had been 

 eaten away ; and as vultures always begin at a 

 wounded spot, I came to the conclusion it was 

 probably my ram, so told my yak-man to cut off 

 its head, a very fair one, measuring about 50 

 inches, and bring it on. 



The formation of this valley (the Kilik) was 

 like all those of any size in these parts, having a 

 steppe of undulating or flat ground on either side 



