WILD GOATS. 121 



very morning, shortly before mid-day, one of the 

 shepherds had seen them peaceably crouched among 

 the grass, and watched over by a sentinel who stood 

 on duty at the top of a rock. It w^as decided on 

 at once that, next morning, before day-break, we 

 should go to the Devil's Peak, which was the name 

 that the shepherds gave to the place which the goats 

 were occupying. 



It was a glorious morning, and by the time the 

 rays of the sun lit up the tops of the Masserne chain 

 we were all in our places. M. Simonds, myself, one 

 of the shepherds, and a negro were posted in dif- 

 ferent parts of the platform. "We waited in profound 

 silence for about half an hour, and then, with the 

 aid of my glass, I saw a goat about half a mile off 

 jumping from a cliff, followed by five or six others, 

 all eagerly on the look-out, their ears pricked up, 

 their large eyes wide open, and their hoofs pawing 

 the soil impatientl}-. On a sudden (by a pheno- 

 menon not uncommon on the Masserne mountains), 

 we were surrounded b}' a thick fog ; the heat was 

 very great, and everything betokened the storm 

 which was not long in coming. Before man}' minutes 

 had elapsed, the thunder was growling all about us, 

 and the rain pouring down in terrific showers. 

 After a time, however, a breeze from the north 

 carried the storm awa}', the sun reappeared, and 

 the face of Nature reassumed its wonted calmness. 

 Presently, I saw the shepherd who guided us on the 



