168 FROM YARKAND TO AKSU. 



camping-ground, when he went off by himself 

 to have a last look round, that he had any 

 success, returning with a doe jeran. I was 

 anxious to see the eagle work, and as I could 

 see nothing ' of a stag, went off with the Yul- 

 beggie in the afternoon to try for another jeran. 

 I was mooning along thinking of something else, 

 when all of a sudden the Yulbeggie started off 

 as hard as he could gallop across the maidan. 

 I followed suit, and soon made out a doe jeran in 

 the distance. It stood and looked at us in amaze- 

 ment, and then cantered off, not very fast, while 

 we still continued our headlong career, every now 

 and then floundering on to our noses over a 

 tussock of grass or into a hole hidden by the 

 snow, until we got to about 100 yards from our 

 game, which only then realised the situation and 

 extended its stride. The shikari now hurled the 

 eagle, which he had unhooked and held clasped 

 to his breast during the run, at the jeran. The 

 eagle, instead of rising like a falcon and sweeping 

 on its prey, flapped along with its great wings 

 quite close to the ground ; and although it seemed 

 to fly very slowly, gradually caught up the jeran, 

 which was impeded in its course by the high grass, 

 and at last grabbed it by the rump with its strong 



