As the ibex kept its ground, without showing any signs of retreating, or
even moving a muscle of its body, they remained watching it. Not,
however, in silence: for as the animal was standing as if to have its
portrait painted, Karl, in words addressed to his two companions, but
chiefly intended for the instruction of Caspar, proceeded to execute
that very task.
"The ibex," said he, "is an animal whose name has been long famous, and
about which the closet naturalists have written a great deal of
nonsense--as they have about almost every other animal on the earth.
After all that has been said about it, it is simply a goat--a wild goat,
it is true, but still only a goat--having all the habits, and very much
of the appearance characteristic of the domestic animal of this name.
"Every one knows that the common goat exists in as many varieties as the
countries it inhabits. Indeed, there are more kinds of goats than
countries: for it is not uncommon to meet with three or four sorts
within the boundaries of a single kingdom--as in Great Britain itself.
These varieties differ almost as much from each other as the `breeds' of
dogs; and hence there has been much speculation among zoologists, as to
what species of wild goat they have all originally sprung from.
"Now, it is my opinion," continued the plant-hunter, "that the tame
goats found among different nations of the earth have not all descended
from the same stock; but are the progeny of more than one wild species--
just as the domesticated breeds of sheep have sprung from several
species of wild sheep; though many zoologists deny this very plain
fact."
"There are different species of wild goats, then?" said Caspar,
interrogatively.
"There are," replied the plant-hunter, "though they are not very
numerous--perhaps in all there may be about a dozen. As yet there are
not so many known to zoologists--that is, not a dozen that have been
identified and described as distinct species; but no doubt when the
central countries, both of Asia and Africa--with their grand chains of
mountains--have been explored by scientific naturalists, at least that
number will be found to exist.
"The speculating systematists--who decide about genera and species, by
some slight protuberance upon a tooth--have already created a wonderful
confusion in the family of the goats. Not contented with viewing them
all as belonging to a single genus, they have divided them into five
genera--though to most of the five they ascribe only _one species_!--
thus uselessly multiplying names, and rendering the study of the subject
more complicated and difficult.
"There can be no doubt that the goats, both wild and tame--including the
ibex, which is a true wild goat--form of themselves a separate family in
the animal kingdom, easily distinguishable from sheep, deer, antelopes,
or oxen. The wild goats often bear a very close resemblance to certain
species of wild sheep; and the two are not to be distinguished from each
other, by the goats being covered with hair and the sheep with wool--as
is generally the case with tame breeds. On the contrary, both sheep and
goats in a wild state have _hairy_ coats--the sheep as much as the
goats; and in many instances the hair of both is quite as short as that
of antelopes or deer. Even where there are almost no external marks to
distinguish wild goats from certain kinds of wild sheep, there are found
_moral_ characteristics which serve as guides to the genus. The goat is
bolder, and of a fiercer nature; and its other habits, even in the wild
state, differ essentially from those of the wild sheep.
"The ibex which we see above us," continued Karl, looking up to the
quadruped upon the cliff, "is neither more nor less than a wild goat.
It is not the only species of wild goat inhabiting the Himalayas; for
there is the `tahir,' a stronger and larger animal than it; and it is
believed that when these great mountains have been thoroughly
_ransacked_ [Karl here smiled at the very unscientific word he had made
use of], there will turn up one or two additional species.
"It is not the only species of ibex neither," continued he, "for there
is one found in the European Alps, known by the name of `steinboc;'
another, in the Pyrenees, called the `tur;' a third, in the Caucasus,
the `zac;' and one or two others in the mountains of Africa.
"With regard to the animal now before, or rather above us," continued
Karl, "it differs very little from others of the same family; and as
both its appearance and habits have been very ably described by a noted
sportsman, who was also an accomplished naturalist, I cannot do better
than quote his description: since it gives almost every detail that is
yet authentically known of the Himalayan ibex.
"`The male,' writes this gentleman author, `is about the size of the
_tahir_ [here he speaks of the other well-known species of Himalayan
wild goat, and which is itself much larger than any of the domesticated
kinds]. Except just after changing their coats, when they are of a
greyish hue, the general colour of the ibex is a dirty yellowish brown.
I have, however, killed the younger animals, both male and female, with
their coats as red as that of a deer in his red coat; but never saw an
old male of that colour, for the reason, I imagine, that he lives much
higher, and sheds his hair much later in the season. The hair is short,
something in texture like that of the _burrell_ and other wild sheep;
and in the cold weather is mixed with a very soft downy wool, resembling
the shawl-wool of Thibet. This and the old hair is shed in May and
June; and in districts occupied by the flocks at that season the bushes
and sharp corners of rocks are covered with their cast-off winter coats.
The striking appearance of the ibex is chiefly owing to the noble
horns: which nature has bestowed upon it. In full-grown animals the
horns, which curve gracefully over the shoulders, are from three to four
feet in length along the curve, and about eleven inches in circumference
at the base. Very few attain a greater length than four feet; but I
have heard of their being three inches longer. Their beards, six or
eight inches in length, arc of shaggy black hair. The females, light
greyish-brown in colour, are hardly a third the size of the males; and
their horns are round and tapering, from ten inches to a foot in length.
Their appearance upon the whole is clean-made, agile, and graceful.
"`In the summer they everywhere resort to the highest accessible places
where food can be found--often to a part of the country several marches
distant from their winter haunts. This migration commences as soon as
the snow begins to disappear; and is very gradually performed--the
animals receding from hill to hill, and remaining a few days upon each.
"`At this season the males keep in large flocks, apart from the females;
and as many as a hundred may occasionally be seen together. During the
heat of the day they rarely move about, but rest and sleep--either on
the beds of snow in the ravines, or on the rocks and shingly slopes of
the barren hill-sides, above the limits of vegetation. Sometimes, but
very rarely, they will lie down on the grassy spots where they have been
feeding. Towards evening they begin to move, and proceed to their
grazing-grounds--which are often miles away. They set out walking
slowly at first; but, if they have any considerable distance before
them, soon break into a trot; and sometimes the whole flock will go as
hard as they can lay legs to the ground. From what we could gather from
the natives, we concluded that they remain in these high regions until
the end of October; when they begin to mix with the females, and
gradually descend to their winter resorts. The females do not wander so
much or so far--many remaining on the same ground throughout the year--
and those that do visit the distant hills are generally found lower down
than the males, seldom ascending above the limits of vegetation. They
bring forth their young in July, having generally two at a birth;
though, like other gregarious animals, many are frequently found barren.
"`The ibex are wary animals, gifted with very sharp sight and an acute
sense of smell. They are very easily alarmed, and so wild, that a
single shot fired at a flock is often sufficient to drive them away from
that particular range of hills they may be upon. Even if not fired at,
the appearance of a human being near their haunt is not unfrequently
attended with the same result. Of this we had many instances during our
rambles after them, and the very first flock of old males we found gave
us a proof. They were at the head of the Asrung valley, and we caught
sight of them just as they were coming down the hill to feed--a noble
flock of nearly a hundred old males. It was late in the day, and we had
a long way to return to camp. Prudence whispered, "Let them alone till
to-morrow," but excitement carried the day, and we tried the stalk.
Having but little daylight remaining, we may have hurried, and
consequently approached them with less caution than we should have done
had we had time before us. However it might be, we failed; for long
before we got within range, some of them discovered us, and the whole
flock decamped without giving us the chance of a shot. Not having fired
at, or otherwise disturbed them, more than by approaching the flock, we
were in great hopes of finding them the next day; but that and several
succeeding ones were passed in a fruitless search. They had entirely
forsaken that range of hills.
"`All readers of natural history are familiar with the wonderful
climbing and saltatory powers of the ibex; and, although they cannot (as
has been described in print) make a spring and hang on by their horns
until they gain footing, yet in reality, for such heavy-looking animals,
they get over the most inaccessible-looking places in an almost
miraculous manner. Nothing seems to stop them, nor to impede in the
least their progress. To see a flock, after being fired at, take a
direct line across country, which they often do, over all sorts of
seemingly impassable ground; now along the naked face of an almost
perpendicular rock, then across a formidable landslip, or an inclined
plane of loose stones or sand, which the slightest touch sets in motion
both above and below; diving into chasms to which there seems no
possible outlet, but instantly reappearing on the opposite side; never
deviating in the slightest from their course; and at the same time
getting over the ground at the rate of something like fifteen miles an
hour, is a sight not easily to be forgotten. There are few animals, if
any, that excel the ibex in endurance and agility.'"