ON THE MOUNTAIN. 227 



sently however, high, high up to our right, a white bril- 

 liancy was seen coming on over the ridge. But no 

 round orb swam into sight : great spokes of silver came 

 instead, and frost-work, and fringe, and bars of light, 

 strange shapes we had never seen before. The moon 

 had got behind the dark green branches of a latschen, 

 and was shining through it. Berger stopped to ad- 

 mire and wonder : I thought of Moses and the burn- 

 ing bush. 



The next day we were out again, and opposite the 

 Roth Wand espied thirteen chamois. The herd was 

 on the side of the mountain, where, by some ancient 

 phenomenon, all had been laid waste, and covered 

 from top to bottom with loose rolling stones. There 

 was no bush, no prominence, behind shelter of which 

 it was possible to advance on them ; the whole broad 

 expanse was nothing but dreary barren rubble. Ay, 

 there they were, and here were we ; but how get at 

 them ? It was arranged that Berger and I should go 

 back, and passing up the shoulder of the mountain 

 reach the summit; and then, keeping just beneath 

 the ridge, make the best of our way to a certain gap, 

 towards which, when disturbed, it was thought they 

 would bear. So Joseph thought. Berger said they 

 would go further on, and cross the ridge at another 

 spot ; but being the younger he gave way, and we 

 both started off for our appointed station. Joseph 

 staid behind, and it was agreed that in two hours he 

 might show himself, so as to make the game move ; 



