THE YAK. 87 



blow towards the Yak, and after waiting about two hours, I had the satisfaction of seeing 

 them walk quickly up the nullah. All was now nearly spoiled by one of the wounded cows, 

 which had lagged a couple of hundred yards behind the herd ; but fortunately a green patch 

 of grass delayed the others, and she overtook them. 



I now commenced the stalk : the wind was luckily steady for a short time, and I follow- 

 ed the Yak under cover of the bank of the nullah. Having approached as near as I could 

 without showing myself, I found that the range was still rather a long one, so I crawled 

 quietly along in full view of the herd, and gained a good many yards without being seen. 

 Two or three of the cows now raised their heads, and though they had not made me out, 

 I thought it best to fire. The bull was feeding in a good position, and I pressed the trigger 

 steadily. To my disgust the cartridge missed fire ! (the only one of Eley's ' gastight ' that 

 I had ever known to fail), but the distance was too great for the Yak to notice it, and I piit 

 in a new cartridge and tried again. I did not see where the bullet struck, but it did not drop 

 the bull as I had expected. One lock of my heavy double-barrel was out of order, so I 

 changed the big rifle for a ' Henry ' single-barrel, and hit the bull rather far back, but crip- 

 pled him a good deal ; and again taking the double-barrel, I broke his foreleg with my third 

 shot. He was now at my mercy, though he went off on three legs, and I missed one or two 

 shots at a long range. This was useless, so I ran after him, and he soon turned and stood 

 at bay, shaking his head and flourishing his tail in a threatening manner. Poor beast ! he 

 was too hard hit to charge far ; but as I had only one barrel to depend upon, I did not walk 

 right up to him, but fired at him from the distance of about one hundred yards. Two 

 bullets from my heavy rifle struck him on the point of the shoulder, but he never flinched, 

 merely shaking his head angrily as each bullet struck him ; a few seconds after the last shot 

 he trembled and rolled over dead. On going up to him I was quite astonished at his 

 immense size. He had looked very big when alive, but it required a closer inspection to 

 discover how enormously powerful he was. 



As camp was seven or eight miles off, I cut off his tail as a trophy, and left the bull to 

 be brought in on the following day ; first taking the precaution of fastening a rope in a 

 circle round the carcase in order to keep off the Chankos, who will not touch any meat if 

 they suspect the existence of a trap. 



The flesh of the bull when cut up loaded several tame Yak, the hide and head alone 

 forming a considerable load. The hair was all coming out, so the skin was not worth keeping. 



November would be the best month in which to shoot Yak, as their skins would then 

 be in good order, but unfortunately it is generally impossible for Officers quartered in India 

 to get leave at that season. 



In order to make sure of bagging Yak in Chung Chenmo, it is advisable not to fire at 

 other game until the country has been thoroughly hunted for the larger animals. Although 

 the bull Yak is such a splendid beast, I think it is hardly worth the while of any sportsman 

 who may perhaps have only one opportunity of visiting Chung Chenmo, to lose the chances 

 which he will probably get at other game, such as Antelope, Nyan and Burrell. Of this, 

 however, everyone can judge best for himself. 



