208 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



chance, we saw a solitary chamois grazing on the 

 borders of the wood, beyond where the hut stood ; a 

 deep and broad sinking in the ground separated the 

 two slopes. We at once set off, and Max was already 

 chuckling at the thought of bringing down a head of 

 game close to the very quarters of the peasants. 



The right of chase in that neighbourhood, Max 

 told me, belonged to the parish within which the men 

 dwelt ; there was however little doubt they would not 

 be very scrupulous about overstepping their boundary, 

 if a chance of getting something presented itself. We 

 stalked up the steep slope, keeping among the wood 

 as much as possible ; but when we looked for the 

 chamois, he was nowhere to be seen, he had no 

 doubt heard the men, and was mistrustful of their 

 neighbourhood; indeed it was strange he had not 

 made off before. 



From our covert we had a full view of the hut : 

 the men had cooked their supper, and came out and 

 sat under a tree to enjoy themselves ; one went and 

 fetched a pitcher of water, and set it down in the 

 midst of them. Maxl all this while was abusing them 

 between his teeth to his heart's content, and mutter- 

 ing all sorts of maledictions upon their heads. This 

 however was not so much for what he then saw, as on 

 account of what in imagination he saw them doing 

 on the morrow ; he knew very well that they would 

 not stand on much ceremony about boundary-lines 

 and limits ; and even should they not shoot any of 

 his game, their very presence disturbed the chamois, 



