were not where we expected to find them, many old
camping-grounds were passed. At this date, however,
September 1st, the valley was uninhabited, as the
wandering bands of nomads who had been here earlier
in the year were now on their way southward, for
winter was steadily approaching. CHAPTER XVI
TROUBLE WITH THE MEN
We halted here a day in order to bring in the yak’s
head, and though both Hargreaves and I originally
intended to take matters easy, the chance of securing
a fine ovis ammon proved more than we could resist,
and before the sun was high in the heavens both set
off in search of sport.
After much exertion I succeeded in climbing a rocky
ridge which lay five miles to the south, though my
efforts were quite unrewarded, for I could see nothing
but doe antelope, doe gazelle, and female nyan.
Hargreaves, however, was more successful; he
discovered three buck gazelle, and, as he stalked them
from above and the wind was in the right direction,
succeeded in bagging all three. These gazelle or
goa are the most beautiful of all the gazelle species,
and are perhaps among the loveliest animals in
creation.
A herd of about 300 cow yaks and young were seen
grazing on the hillside within a mile of the camp, but
they took no notice of us, and it was not until the
following day, when the wind changed and they got
our scent, that they changed their position.
The native guide led us to believe that the long-
expected ovis ammon nullah would be found at the
end of the next march, and that an old gold-digger
and his son had taken up their abode in the valley.
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