beast’s leg, and he managed to get clear away on
the remaining three.
The whole of the next day was spent in endeavours
to circumvent these gazelle. They were wilder than
ever, and stalk after stalk failed; it was not until
late in the afternoon that a really favourable opportunity
occurred, and two gazelle were discovered lying
down in a small ravine. It was a simple stalk, and
I managed to approach within thirty yards without
being seen. Both animals scented danger, and made
ready for flight; but it was too late, and I bagged
the two, being particularly pleased to find that the
larger was the self-same animal I had wounded
on the previous d ay ; his leg had been smashed to
pieces just above the hock, but already the wound
appeared to be healing. He must have made a large
circuit before reaching this spot, as he had disappeared
from sight going in exactly the opposite
direction.
Hargreaves proved even more successful, for besides
getting a good goa, he came across two wolves, a
black and a yellow, the latter of which he killed;
though very plentiful in this country, it seldom
happens that they allow man to approach close enough
for a shot.
Yaks were constantly encountered but were never
fired at, as the camp was fully supplied with meat, and
the overburdened ponies were quite unable to carry
away the horns.
Every valley was keenly searched for an ovis
ammon. Not a single ram was found, though females
and young were fairly numerous, and a few old,
broken horns scattered about the ravines suggested
that the rams visit these parts at some season of
the year. No human beings were seen in the valley,
and our guide, who now refused to accompany us
farther, accounted for this by saying that everyone
had gone to Rudok to attend a festival which was
being held at that place. Whatever the cause, no
one appeared to bar our progress.
Once more the convoy crossed the route taken
by Deasy when being escorted back by the Tibetans
on his first expedition; then we made our way across
a waterless plain, and along the banks of a fresh-water
stream which rose suddenly in powerful volume from
the arid ground.
The sacred town of Rudok now lay at no great
distance ahead, a place we were exceedingly anxious to
see. The ponies were therefore urged along at topmost
speed, for every mile now covered, lessened the chances
of our being turned back along the road we had come.
A sharp look-out was kept on all the valleys running
north and south, but not a soul was seen.
Presently, however, we received a shock, for, on
I the path we were taking, there appeared the fresh
I imprints of a pony’s hoofs which led along the direct
I road to Rudok. The animal had sometimes ambled
I and sometimes walked; after a short distance, it had
I been joined by a second, and then by a third, all
¡travelling in the same direction.
Two or three deserted fireplaces were seen and
¡examined, and one was found to be still quite warm,
I having probably been used within the last twenty-four
I hours. The important point now arose as to whether
I the people, whoever they were, had seen us ; if so, they
I had, in all probability, ridden on to give information to
l.the authorities of our approach, and to warn the whole
I countryside. We determined, therefore, to make a
Idash for it.
We had lately been steadily descending, and were