OUT OF SHOT. 243 



looking over, not a sign of them was to be seen. 

 At that moment the shikari, grasping my arm, 

 pointed upwards. There they were ascending 

 another corrie just above. Following on, we got 

 up to their level on the other side, and looked 

 over again. Bad luck to it, there they were 

 walking along just out of shot ! Yet another 

 long wait. This time, when their heads dis- 

 appeared (for I could not wait for the tails), we 

 were after them, cocking my rifle as I went, 

 feeling sure we should catch them this time ; but 

 not a bit of it. Excelsior was evidently their 

 motto that day. Karim Khan said if I wished it 

 we could follow, but as there was no more grass, 

 they were not likely to stop until they were over 

 the top of the mountain and down the other side. 



At daybreak I was up, intending to make a 

 move to the west side of the Karakul ; but my 

 rascally ponies upset my plans, as they were 

 nowhere to be found, and the men had to go in 

 all directions before they could be collected. 



We had rather a dreary march, but found a 

 good place to set up house, with patches of grass 

 and plenty of water and burtsa. Given some 

 game on the hills, there was nothing more to be 

 desired. 



