The Yale expositor., 1912-08-01

sheep, when thoroughly scared. travel many
miles. and successfully hide themselves.
Leaving camp at A.; 80 one morning shortly be-
fore dawn, the two hunters and l had not been
long at work when the Kalmuk pulled up short
but too late for we had been seen first by
flock Of nine rams, who were taking their early
feed on the side Of steep ravine. Off they went,
towards higher ground, but in no great haste
Riding up to the ridge along which they had dis
appeared we dismounted. and soon viewed them
again. They some distance off, feeding on
an open slope, which appeared to be secure from
attack; but there was one weak spot. After
scanning the herd and noticing three four
good heads among them, l started off with Husein
to stalk A warm job it proved, up that steep,
loose shale slope, and the pace was perforce
slow At length We made the crest, and took it
easy to study the situation. The wind, though
light, was shfty, but all seemed well, for the
herd were busy feeding. They were what ap-
peared to be about one hundred and fifty yards
off but on a slope somewhat below us. The diff
ficulty to select the finest head, for to raise
ones self more than enough to just peep over
would have ended matters. Under such cir
cumstances one is always apt to be deceived as
to which head is going to beat previous records!
The question, however, was brought to an abrupt
conclusion by the herd getting their heads up
and beginning to look suspicious. In another
second they would have been off, so, taking a
quick aim fired at the chest of what looked like
the largest as he stood head towards me. A rush
and stampede enSued across the SOU lace OF
the steep slope below us. The animals were SO
punched up that it was impossible to pick out the
largest, and the result Of my three shots was to
bowl over moderate-siZed one only The herd
then disappeared at racing speed, and when next
seen they were in the big valley long way be-
low. We descended and cut up the dead sheep.
This finished, and the old Kalmuk carrying the
head his shoulders, rode off round the
slopes after the herd eventually pulling up and
dismounting at the end of long spur. Here.
while on the lookout, suddenly saw the herd,
only seven in number, come boiling back
towards u.s. evidently disturbed in their flight
by my felow-sportsman, who just then appeared
on the top of the mountain The owes looked
Hike charging straight at us, but swerved Off and
made up the mountain, except one, who over
come by fright curiosity. forgot his usual cum.
ming and stopped to have look at me- l heard
the "clop" of the bullet it struck. and he
jumped completely round, then disappeared round
small spur short distance off. Feeling quite
elated at such good fortune, / followed up, ex.
pecting to find the sheep lying dead. Imagine
my dsappointment-he had vanished. There was
time 10 be lost So starting the Kalmuk Off
in pursuit the shoulder Of the mountain,
Husein and | took up the blood tracks. Twice
during this latter rTocee ding heard the report
of the Kalmuk's blunderbuss and mofnentarily
expected to him return smiling; thus. think
ing all right, returned to where the
ponies had been left. They also had all three
vanished leaving portions of the first dead
Sleeps carcass scatter ed about the mountain
side. 1t was time before we had all col
lected again and the Kalmuk returned. having,
understood, had great chase after the wounded
ram and marked it down in naa, not far from
where We had started the days work. Loading
up the ponies away We went again. searching
frutlessy for long time among the numerous
nalas. Things looked bad. 1t getting late,
and just about to abandon the search
till the morrow, when, as good luck would have
it. the old Kamuk stopped and pointed below as
he did l off my pony in second, and.
peerng over, saw the fine old ram, only just able
to stand and looking very sick, about fifty feet
below. One shot in the shoulder finished him.
1t shows the extraordinary vitality of these fine
animals that, though badly wounded, he had been
able to keep going for SO long. My shot had just
missed the middle Of his chest, and had caught
him near the point OF the right shoulder and
rakea along his ribs His horns measured fifty
inches.