THE ALM HUTTE. 123 



is destroyed in the neighbourhood, on the Plan Berg 

 they will still be found." 



"Are any ugly places there?" I asked. 



"Yes, some are ugly enough. But it is not ab- 

 solutely necessary to go where they are, with the ex- 

 ception of one, and that cannot well be avoided. You 

 have to step along a very steep and narrow ledge ; 

 and then a place is to be crossed, you have to spring 

 across it, which, if not sure-footed and free from 

 giddiness, one could hardly manage, for below it goes 

 down a tremendous depth. That is the only place you 

 are absolutely obliged to pass, and there you must 

 go, for by no other way is it possible to get out." 



" There is a ridge too, is there not, which is very 

 narrow, with a precipice on each side?" 



" Yes, but that is not much : it is narrow, but if 

 you are only steady you may walk across it easily." 



" Not so easily though," I said : " a friend of 

 mine walked along it, but after a few steps he was 

 obliged to sit down, and with his legs dangling on 

 each side to cross it astride. Did you ever meet any 

 poachers on the Plau Berg, Maxl?" I asked. 



"Yes," said he; "I and two assistant-foresters were 

 on the mountains, and we saw seven men, Tyrolians, 

 all armed and looking for chamois. We called to 

 them, and off they ran. One of them however I 

 overtook ; I kept his gun, hat, and powder-horn, and 

 then let him go." 



" But as there were seven of them, I wonder they 

 made off." 



