00 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



rifle to him, I followed and though the place seemed 

 rather formidable, in reality it was easy enough to 

 climb. As I stood on the ledge face to face with the 

 perpendicular rock, I debated within myself whether I 

 should look behind me or not. I knew that below and 

 behind was nothing but air, and I decided on pro- 

 ceeding without turning round; so I looked for the 

 most favourable crack or roughness in the rock to 

 make a first step, which moment of delay Berger at- 

 tributed to indecision and to fear ; and stretching out 

 his hand to me, he cried roughly, " Come, what are you 

 thinking of? give me your hand, that 's right. Now 

 then !" He was wrong in his supposition, for I was 

 neither undecided nor afraid, but he feared that if I 

 grew alarmed I might let go my hold ; and as the 

 moment was critical he thought to rouse and reassure 

 me by his manner, and by holding iny hand firmly in 

 his grasp. " Patience, Berger ! patience ! I shall be 

 up in a second ; I am only looking for a place to put 

 my foot on; don't think I am giddy. There, now 



1 am up." And then one of us, lying down at full 

 length, reached with one arm over the ledge of rock, 

 to the spot below where the rifles and poles were 

 lying. 



With bended bodies we now stole along the crest 

 of the mountain as noiselessly as possible, for the cha- 

 mois were below us on our left, just over the ridge. 

 We presently looked over. I could not see them, on 

 account of a projecting rock, but Berger whispered, 

 "There they are! Quick! they are moving." Still 



