242 THE KARAKUL PAMIR AND HOME. 



the Karakul ; only he begged me to remember 

 that big heads were very scarce, and not to be 

 angry if I only got small ones. Accordingly we 

 started early up the stony slope, until we came to 

 the top of a ridge about five miles off, and on 

 looking over, an enormous corrie opened before 

 us, where the shikari said he expected to find 

 the herd ; and, sure enough, there they were, 

 feeding on a patch of grass right in the centre. 

 A more impossible place for a stalk I never saw : 

 the corrie was exactly like half a teacup, without 

 a scrap of rny*^ There was nothing for it but to 

 play the waiting game, and see where they went ; 

 but the cold became intense, and as they were 

 evidently settled for the day on a place after their 

 own hearts, with water, grass, and nice soft gravel 

 to lie on, we gave it up, intending to return in 

 the evening, but the snowstorms came on so fre- 

 quently that I put off until the morrow. 



They were still there when I got back, only a 

 little lower down, poking away in the fresh snow 

 to get at the grass. At length they moved on 

 towards the ridge on the opposite side of the 

 corrie. As the last white stern disappeared from 

 view, I started in pursuit. Though the distance 

 looked short, it was a good mile across, and 



