284 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



of the hunter floated toward him on the air, streaming 

 over a sudden dip of the mountain. He was most 

 likely among the latschen, so we hastened back some 

 distance, and down the rocks, in order to meet him 

 should he come that way. But we saw no trace of 

 him, though every bush and spot was examined most 

 carefully. 



"He cannot have passed, Neuner," I said: "he 

 must be among the latschen. Perhaps he is behind 

 that upright rock yonder ; I will go forward and see." 

 And leaving my long pole behind me, I went care- 

 fully through the latschen and looked over the preci- 

 pice. It went down quite perpendicular two hundred 

 feet, and from my pinnacle I had a good view around, 

 but saw nothing of the chamois. 



We regained our ridge by climbing a steep, so long 

 and slippery that I was right glad when it was behind 

 us. We sat down to rest. Opposite was the Kramer, 

 and rising above this was the Zug Spitz range, grand 

 and mighty in its proportions, and the eye wandered 

 over those snowy peaks far away into the Tyrol. On 

 the left the Ettaler Mannl came peeping from amid 

 the verdure-covered rocks. My good friend Franz 

 Kobell has sung his stern virtues ; but I was now 

 hungry, and so tormented with thirst that I cared 

 not one farthing about his virtues or anything else, 

 / wanted to drink. Water was not to be had ; I was 

 obliged therefore to mix some snow with a few drops 

 of rum and eat it. Neuner told me snow would only 

 make me more thirsty, but that I could not help, 



