THE SOLACHERS. 79 



hills/' shunning the plain, and any other occupation 

 save that hard one which they have always followed 

 father, son, grandchildren, and uncles. The name of 

 Solacher to the hunter of the chamois in Bavaria is 

 like that of Napier with us in England, it carries 

 with it reputation : we at once expect to hear of pre- 

 eminence in him who bears it; and we look as certainly 

 for boldness of deed in a Solacher as we do for bold- 

 ness of thought, of action, or of word, from one who 

 is a Napier. A Solacher is an authority in all matters 

 of the chase in the mountains. They all have been 

 hunters from their youth upwards ; from their first 

 childhood they have heard exciting stories of the chase, 

 and have been fed with traditions of the times before 

 them. To follow the chamois is, with them, rather an 

 instinct than a passion ; the air of the mountain-tops 

 seems their proper element, and they have preferred 

 that, and freedom of breathing and of limb, to all be- 

 side where these were not to be obtained. 



Max, with whom I became acquainted later, told 

 me how once a nobleman had proposed to take him 

 into his service, and made him very advantageous 

 offers. And on my asking if he had not been inclined 

 to accept them, he laughed at the thought, and said, 

 " What ! quit the mountains ! why I don't think I 

 should be able to endure it for a day. Had he of- 

 fered me ten times as much I should have refused. 

 Eor my part, I can't imagine a happier life than that 

 of a forester; I know very well that / would not 

 change with anybody in the world !" And thus they 



