538 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



federate songs that used to ring on the night-air 

 by the James Kiver, on whose banks many of the 

 light-hearted singers now sleep in a nameless grave. 

 Being somewhat tired with our day's work, about 

 eight o'clock we turned in, previous to which I 

 opened the hut door to have a look at the night. 

 The little I could see of the horizon was clear, the 

 stars shone brightly in the firmament, and there 

 was every prospect of fine weather on the morrow. 

 We were stirring long before daybreak in the 

 morning, and having an early breakfast (for it is 

 unadvisable to commence hard work on an empty 

 stomach), we set out under the guidance of Franz, 

 one of the herdsmen. The stars were still brightly 

 shining, but the darkness was waning, and a 

 peculiar reddish effulgence on the eastern horizon 

 announced the approach of day. 



When w^e arrived at the foot of the mountain, 

 Karl and I crept up one side, whilst Herbert, accom- 

 panied by Franz and Hans, took the other, so as to 

 command both sides of a ravine, the head of which 

 was considered almost a certain find for chamois at 



