i88 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



hard it was impossible to use the glasses. Very little 

 snow on the cornices of the " rocks." 



Friday ', 1st April 1881. Still raining hopelessly. 

 About two o'clock it cleared slightly, so we determined 

 to try the Sanctuary. Arthur went to his post on the 

 chateau, and I to that at Cotatoire. No snow on the 

 path, so I got along nicely, taking an hour and a half. 

 They beat towards me and arrived at five, having seen 

 nothing. 



Saturday, 2.nd April 1881. Still raining hard. At 

 2.30 I went alone to stalk along the foot of the rocks. 

 Under the " dead pine post " I found fresh tracks and 

 droppings of bouquetin. Went along quietly, keeping 

 as close as I could to the foot of the precipices from 

 which the water poured. As I passed along the 

 ledges where they lie I found droppings in quantities 

 of all ages. Near the avalanche I found the perfectly 

 fresh tracks of a bouquetin, which I followed up their 

 pass, through the box bushes, on to the "yellow 

 cornice," and then from that up another narrow run 

 to the thickly-bushed cornice above. These cornices 

 form a regular network, complicated to the greatest 

 degree ; they are intersected with precipitous rocks 

 which are on their part disintegrated, affording holes 

 and ledges of all sizes, some covered with box bushes, 

 and some are where the bouquetin can hide themselves 

 to their hearts' content. I came down to the path at 

 the avalanche as it was five o'clock, and wandered 

 slowly home, keeping a sharp eye for bears. Just as I 

 got to the bottom of the Cotatoire, I heard Arthur fire 

 at the top of the Sanctuary ; shortly afterwards came 

 on his and Celestin's coat and glass on the top of a 

 box bush. Here Michell and Vincent joined me, they 

 having heard the shot also. We called and Arthur 

 and Celestin answered from the top of the wood. 



