NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT IN THE HIMALAYAS. 407 
then stood motionless, right between us and the recumbent one. 
He was a much smaller beast, with insignificant horns, and a 
scanty ruff; whereas the other, as we could well make out with 
the glass, was full-grown, with good horns, and fine shaggy mane 
and ruff. Cautiously peeping out by the side of our sheltering 
boulder, after a quarter of an hour’s suspense, I found the big one 
still lying down, and the other still browsing unsuspiciously and 
on his knees to it; but they were in an unfavourable position for’ 
a shot, at least the big one was; so after a brief whispered con- 
sultation I sent Oosrao round, as he swore he could circumvent 
them and drive them towards my position. After an anxious 
delay of what seemed an hour, but was in reality only twenty 
minutes, the big one, evidently suspecting something, got up and 
looked all round, but, seeing no danger, lay down again, after 
scratching his flank with his horns. Again he rose, and was 
joined by his companion ; and they both began, to my dismay, to 
walk away from me, and towards the direction where I expected 
Oosrao ought to be. They changed their minds, however, and 
trotted back, the big one leading. I heard a whistle, and they 
stopped short; another louder whistle from Oosrao, and they 
came right towards me for fifty yards, when the small one diverged 
among some rocks, the other stood for a second or two stock-still, 
as if halted by word of command. J] took a steady aim, and on 
pulling the trigger was glad to see him down on his knees and 
head, and half tumble over. He recovered, and was beginning to 
make off down the hill, when Oosrao showed himself; and he 
turned towards me, swaying about and staggering, finally dis- 
appearing behind acrag. I saw he was badly wounded, and I 
soon found good proof thereof by evidence of frothy blood. How 
I longed for a dog at that moment; but Oosrao assured me he 
would retrieve him, and was as good as his word, following him 
up by the blood-spots and finding him moribund under a rock a 
couple of hundred paces from where he had been shot. He was 
soon despatched, and by our united efforts was conveyed to a con- 
Spicuous spot, where we tied a bit of my follower’s pugree to the 
end of a stick, flagwise, and sent four Coolies for him in the 
evening. This was the best Tahr I had ever shot—fat and in 
good condition, with thick broad horns (now on a shield above’ 
my head as I write), and very fine mane and ruff. Oosrao told 
me he could always tell a Tahr’s age by the rings on his horns; if 
