THE KYANG. 67 



ones are attracted, and in a few minutes a herd of fifty or sixty may be galloping in circles, 

 effectually alarming all the game in the country. 



They will also sometimes spoil sport by actually chasing and driving away other game 

 from their pastures. I witnessed a case of this in the Indus Valley in 1866, when some Goa 

 which I was stalking were hunted right away by some Kyang. A friend of mine had his 

 stalk at some Antelope in Chung Chenmo spoiled in a similar manner. 



In places where they have not been disturbed Kyang will frequently gaze at the sports- 

 man within fifty yards, without betraying any fear, but merely curiosity. On the more fre- 

 quented routes which are annually traversed by tourists the Kyang are much more shy, and 

 seem to know the range of a rifle well. Of course there is no sport in shooting such an 

 animal, but the skin of one is occasionally useful to mend one's shoes with, and in some 

 parts of Ladak the Tartars eat the flesh with avidity. I have tried it, and found it tough and 

 coarse ; but as the Yankees would say, " Poor bull is better than no meat," and in case of 

 need one might fare worse. 



The Tartars never seem to attempt to domesticate the Kyang. I saw one which 

 belonged to the Thannadar of Leh, and I was informed that the boy who attended to it could 

 mount it ; it was, however, secured by a strong iron chain, and I was warned against going 

 near it. I was present at the birth of a foal in the valley of the Sutlej, to the north of the 

 Niti Pass in 1865. I walked up to the little thing, while the mother trotted off a short dis- 

 tance and stood anxiously watching me. If I could have procured a mare to act as foster 

 mother I should have attempted to rear the foal, but having no milk even at my disposal I 

 left it alone. 



I saw in a newspaper some years ago that a cross had been obtained between the 

 Kyang and the ass at the Jardin des Plantes. I should imagine that the cross between 

 the Kyang and the horse, could it be effected, would be a most valuable animal, possessing 

 all the good qualities of the ordinary mule, with greater size and strength, and better shape. 

 As there are Kyang in the Regent's Park Gardens, surely the experiment might be tried. 



