EUROPEAN GOATS AND SHEEP 
that would make a successful stalk nearly impossible, so I lay for three 
hours on the hill above waiting for them to move. At nine they galloped out 
of the corrie and went nearly two miles to the east, and then, after feeding 
for a while, all lay down except one female, who stayed on to watch. The 
position of the goats was now scarcely more favourable than before, so I 
took up a position about 500 yards above them and waited nearly the whole 
day for them to move. At four they left their position and began to ascend 
the hill towards me, and then turned to the west again, as if making for 
the ground where I had found them in the morning. The two old males, 
however, lagged far behind, and as I kept parallel with the moving herd the 
females gave me an opportunity to “ cut in ” downhill. This I succeeded 
in doing by taking advantage of a dry watercourse. As soon as the last 
of the herd of females had passed below, I made all haste downhill and 
got into a position which I hoped would be well within shot of the lagging 
old billies as they came into view. After waiting for five minutes the 
horns of the black male showed up below and to the right just at the spot 
where I had expected, and presently the owner came walking quietly along 
the narrow path. He looked a fine beast and had I not seen the big white 
one I dare say I should have been glad to secure his horns. But I was 
looking for something better, so he was allowed to pass on. I had rested 
another five minutes, there was no sign of the white one, and I feared he 
had passed me by using another road below. Accordingly I descended, 
and taking the cover of a large rock looked in the direction in which I 
expected to see the object of my desires. He was, however, nowhere to be 
seen. He had, in fact, gone by and then ascended abruptly and joined the 
herd under the hill beyond my vision. 
As I knew he would not willingly leave the herd I again ascended the 
mountain, and after walking half a mile to the west, circled so as to cut 
the line of the herd of females. I observed them again at 5.30, feeding 
slowly along below me, and accompanied by the black male. Concluding 
that the white one had either lain down or was still concealed in one of 
the numerous depressions above which I had passed, I then retreated on 
the line the herd had come, spying carefully every hollow. As I crossed 
an open space something moved on the skyline, almost on the level with 
myself, and looking intently I discovered it to be the horns of a goat. 
The next moment the patriarch stepped into view and stood on the ridge. 
The evening sun shone on his snow-white coat and glistening horns and a 
gentle breeze waved his mighty beard. He certainly looked finer than many 
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