120 THE IMAGE OF WAE 



to do a mile or less, but finally a succession of wild 

 rock and tangled beech thicket, ending in a hands- 

 and-knees climb, brought me exactly where I wanted 

 to get. 



The two valleys were in front of me. Likely places 

 for chamois no doubt, but a weary climb on the off- 

 chance. During the earlier stages of the ascent I 

 had several looks into the right - hand valley with 

 the glass, but could see nothing. I thought the 

 other was my best chance, and steered for a hreche 

 which should command it. After crossing a snow- 

 slope which had been my landmark, I called the 

 dog in close. At the top of another snow - slope I 

 tied him to my rucksack, and as I was within fifty 

 yards, I left my alpenstock there too. Two or three 

 minutes brought me to the hreche. Alas ! it was 

 blocked at the far end by a mass of fallen rocks. 

 Well, I hadn't climbed up here to be beaten now, 

 and a look into the valley I was going to have. 

 Slinging my rifle, I tackled the rock to the right 

 on hands and knees ; but it was only to find other 

 and harder rocks beyond. My blood was up now, 

 and, thinking to myself that I must find some other 

 way down, I wriggled over a rounded peak without 

 either hand or foothold, with a drop beneath that I 

 wouldn't have looked down for something. Another 

 minute and I was peering into the valley, which I 

 soon saw was utterly devoid of life. The next ques- 

 tion was to get back. It could clearly only be done 

 by a climb to the right, where the rocks were more 

 broken. Five minutes did it, and then I had a look 

 into the other valley, not without the reflection that 

 what I had not already seen there must have seen 

 me. Of course there was nothing. 



