282 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [14:7— Oct., 1918 



To this class of hunters, the big stranger in the cliff seemed to 

 fill the bill and now you could hear them talk it over in the evening 

 in a low secret way. You could see them disappear the next 

 morning at day break among the cliffs that lay in the direction 

 of the chasm, only to come back empty handed in the evening 

 and then talk it over once more and drink some more beer and 

 wine and tell some more tales. 



Thus the 1 5th of September arrived and nothing had happened 

 as yet to the bird. Since this day and also the following two 

 days were the occasion of a great celebration, the hunters suspended 

 operations and joined in the merry throng. That 15th of Sep- 

 tember was a beautiful fall day; I remember it as if it had been 

 yesterday. I can still hear the music float through the open 

 windows and I can hear the echoes of songs and the shouts of 

 children. Everybody was gay and happy; young folks danced 

 and older folks talked and so far as the hunters were concerned, 

 why — they really felt themselves a part of the event. 



I, myself, was out among the rocks on the mountainside watch- 

 ing a couple of marmots build their winter home and carry in 

 the hay necessary for the bedding. Now, as I watched them 

 from behind a ledge (for they are very shy) I happened to 

 glance over in the direction of the big chasm on the other side 

 of the valley and the more I looked there, the more ambitious 

 and restless I became. I saw myself climb up among the cliffs — 

 surely I could easily make it ! I would leave my shoes at home — 

 climbing being easier without shoes. But what would my father 

 say! No, I wouldn't do it, — having been expressly forbidden 

 to use the rifle in any place except down in the valley. Still why 

 shouldn't I do it, and who would know it? Weren't they all 

 happy and, anyway, who would tell ! 



The more I thought of it the more tempting the proposition 

 became, and so after some time, being a boy of slow but abrupt 

 decision, I suddenly left my place (scaring the poor marmots 

 almost to death) I climbed down the incline, trotted over to our 

 house where the folks were dancing merrily, took the rifle and 

 left, unnoticed, by the side door. 



The climbing was somewhat tedious but using a roundabout 

 way I finally reached the edge of that chasm from the upper side. 

 I first looked down into it from the top and was impressed by 

 the gush of air that struck my face; I then climbed down on 



