304 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



and sugar-loaves, and dried fruits, and glass jars filled 

 with luscious syrups and preserves ; golden apricots 

 and red cranberries, with pots of lucent Tyrolian honey 

 all was there in generous overflowing abundance. 

 The fat of the land, dropping into many channels, had 

 been made to pour out its unctuous richness here. 

 It was worth seeing, that storeroom, a rich granary 

 where the wealth of the earth was garnered up ! 



A good road leads a considerable distance up the 

 mountain : at last, between the hills a green valley 

 is seen, with a single solitary hut. But it was to 

 the "Hinteren Hiitte" the hindmost hut that I 

 had to go ; so crossing the meadow and following a 

 stony path, I soon saw smoke rising slowly, and mix- 

 ing with the mists which were gathering fast over the 

 landscape. It was growing dark, for I had tarried 

 too long at Partenkirchen, and the walk thence had 

 taken me two good hours. 



I pushed open the unbolted door, and entered the 

 room on my right. 



" Ha ! you are come at last," said Neuner, rising to 

 meet me ; " it is so late we had given you up." 



" And glad I am to be here," I said ; " it is just be- 

 ginning to rain. I fear we shall have bad weather ; 

 the sky is overcast, and the clouds look very gloomy." 



" Should it rain in the night so much the better, if 

 it is but fine in the morning. After rain the chamois 

 are on the mountain-tops. We want rain, for it has 

 long been too dry, and the chamois have kept low 

 down." 



