120 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



wards, and they would be off : it is no good. If I 

 had only seen them directly I looked over, we might 

 have crept round and had a capital shot." 



We sat down and watched them the usual conso- 

 lation on such occasions ; and we pulled out and ate 

 our crust. From here we saw the massy Plau Berg, 

 slightly covered with snow. It is the first consider- 

 able mountain between Tegernsee and the Tyrol, and 

 rises like a strong rampart above the narrow valley of 

 Kreuth. 



We now went downwards, and across a lawn-like 

 meadow, on which stood a hut. We espied two cha- 

 mois ; but what was to be done ? the wind was so fa- 

 vourable there was hardly any chance of being able 

 to approach within shot. We determined therefore 

 that it would be best to try and drive them; so 

 taking up my position on the right, while Max Sola- 

 cher went through the wood, I awaited the result. 

 But we were unsuccessful; instead of going along 

 the declivity, they moved away over the brow of the 

 hill. In a glade lower down we soon after tracked a 

 good stag ; " And he has been here lately too," said 

 my companion, distending his nostrils and sniffing the 

 tainted air. 



As we were going homewards we discovered among 

 the trees a man with a rifle at his back. On ap- 

 proaching nearer we found it was old Solacher, the 

 uncle of Max and brother of the old aunt at Baierisch 

 Zell. 



"He is seventy-two years old," my companion told 



