144 WILD SPAIN. 



game emerged from the gorge, it became evident that the 

 flank-movement had, at least to some extent, succeeded : 

 for the now-alarmed animals, though still tending up- 

 wards, had abandoned the idea of direct escape in that 

 direction, and were now ascending the rocks in a slanting 

 course which pointed very little beyond our own positions. 

 The writer, who occupied the upper post, at the foot of 

 some terrific canchos, which, in cold blood, had seemed 

 insuperable, now, in the excitement of the chase, found 

 means — nescio qiws — to surmount the obstacle and gain a 

 " pass " beyond, by which, it seemed likely, the game 

 might seek escape. More nimble still, our friend 

 Magdaleno had ere this, with winged feet, reached a 

 yet greater height : and here, as the ibex, scudding 

 upwards with surprising speed, passed in straggling 

 file, his single ball struck fair a lordly ram, and threw 

 back the rest in dismay. Quickly followed from below 

 the double crack of an "express": but these bullets, 

 fired at 200 yards, produced no perceptible effect. 



Turned from their first point, the ibex, now separate 

 and scattered, when next they appeared, were heading, 

 some for the snow-fields direct, others for the lower passes : 

 in one of which a five-year-old male offered a chance, at 

 eighty yards, to the ambushed " Paradox" — a chance that 

 was not declined, though only attained at the end of a 

 severe scramble of 200 yards across the rocks. The 

 hollow-fronted ball struck on the ribs, and traversing 

 the vitals, " mushroomed " itself against the shoulder- 

 blade. Presently, from the heights above, rang out three 

 or four reports in quick succession — the upward-bound 

 contingent of ibex were running the gauntlet of our 

 driving-line. A male and two females offered long or 

 random shots to the mountaineers. One of the latter 

 was reported hit — though the pair were followed by a 

 chivo, or kid, only ten days old ! — but no tangible result 

 was secured by this fusillade. 



Meanwhile the stricken macho had descended to the 

 depths of the glen, where he was presently descried 

 by our scouts stretched on the shelf of a jutting crag, 



