74 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



we mark those high ridges well, we cannot be at 

 fault." 



And observing attentively the form of the rock 

 where we now stood, in order that it might afterwards 

 serve as a landmark, we prepared to descend. Berger 

 went first over the bed of geroll. He stopped a mo- 

 ment, and said, " Now give me your rifle ; you 11 get 

 on then much more easily." He slung it over his 

 shoulder with his own, when suddenly his foot slipped, 

 and down he went, sliding on his back over the loose 

 stones ; and, though he turned himself round imme- 

 diately, was quite unable to arrest his progress. At 

 the foot of the bed of stones there was fortunately no 

 precipice, or over it he would most certainly have gone. 



"Are you hurt, Berger?" I 'asked, when at last he 

 stopped. 



" No," he answered, laughing. " But what a noise 

 it made ! how the stones came rattling down ! Now 

 then, carefully ! Stop ! Rest one foot against my pole; 

 it is planted firmly, and will bear your weight ! " 



" Quick, Berger ! quick ! take care ;" and at the 

 same moment down came a great stone that had been 

 loosened, and dashed by close to his shin. But he 

 moved his foot, and it passed without striking him. 

 We had proceeded some distance, and the question 

 now was, "Where is the chamois?" The rocky ridge 

 was close to our right hand, but every feature looked 

 different when seen from below to what it had done 

 before. 



" He must be on the other side, just over that rock." 



