172 THE DEVIL'S PEAK. 



days they had not quitted this pasturage ; and that same 

 morning one of the shepherds had caught sight of them, 

 tranquilly slumbering amongst the herbage, under the 

 guardianship of a sentinel who watched on the summit 

 of the rock. 



We decided on the instant that we would start before 

 day and repair directly to the Devil's Peak ; for such was 

 the name which the shepherds had given to the table-land 

 occupied by the wild goats. 



The sun rose radiantly ; the day was magnificent ; and 

 when the first beams gilded the snowy crests of the Mas- 

 serne Mountains, we were all posted M. Simond, one of 

 the shepherds, my host's negro, and myself at the differ- 

 ent passes of the table-land. The pastor, who was to 

 conduct the hunt, had placed me near a crevasse, about 

 twenty-six feet wide, whose depth I durst not measure 

 for fear of dizziness. After recommending me to keep 

 completely silent, and to preserve a perfect immobility, 

 while holding myself ready to fire, he quitted me to drive 

 back the game. 



Half an hour passed in silent expectation. I had pro- 

 vided myself with a telescope, and surveyed, to kill the 

 time, the acclivities and summit of the precipices. At 

 length I descried a goat bounding and leaping at about a 

 quarter of a league from me ; and this first animal was 

 soon followed by five or six others, who stopped short, 

 with pricked ears, eyes wide open, nose sniffing the wind, 

 and occasionally pawing with their hoofs, in readiness 

 to take to flight. It was an auspicious moment ; my joy 

 could no longer be controlled. 



By a phenomenon of very common occurrence in the 

 Masserne chain, a thick mist suddenly enveloped us ; the 



