vii MOVING THEM WITH A BULLET 181 



we thought the bouquetin still were. No sooner had I 

 arrived at my place when Antoine, who was with me, 

 caught sight of the three bouquetin far above us in the 

 chambre a coucher I There was no doubt about it ; 

 there they were, quietly looking down at us from their 

 lofty bedroom. Celestin came across to us from Post's 

 post, and we held a council of war. They were about 

 400 yards from me, too far, of course, for anything like 

 a shot, half hidden as they were by the projections of 

 rocks, etc. ; but perhaps not too far, it suddenly struck 

 me, to make them hop. I determined to try what the 

 effect of a shot would be, so taking very steady aim at 

 the boodah's chest, I pulled. The result was magical. 

 The ball must have splintered on the rocks behind 

 the old fellow's back, for like lightning he bounded 

 forward, and, followed by the others, dashed down 

 the desperate precipice side, turned along the top 

 ledge, and disappeared into a cornice behind the 

 castle. Post now decided to go to the back to see 

 if he could not make them leave the back cornice in 

 like manner with your rifle, and I remained guarding 

 the castle. He had been gone about an hour when I 

 saw the boodah and the young male come back round 

 the corner as hard as they could ; but instead of coming 

 to me the old rascal crossed the 'grassy slope very 

 steep/ and dived down into some impenetrable hole to 

 the left of the castle out of sight. About five minutes 

 afterwards the aide-de-camp appeared, but instead of 

 following the others he dashed down the hill, and 

 getting on to the precipice side he passed across 

 the most dreadful place to the salle tfattente. Once 

 or twice he was very nearly stuck, and I could see 

 his head peering up and down, while the icicles 

 crashed all round it, in dire despair as to how he could 

 get back or forward. At last he made the top 



