388 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



it is rather perilous if your foot should glide. Some 

 years ago a dairymaid from one of the huts on the 

 mountains near Berchtesgaden slipped in coming down 

 a laane. She was unable to stop herself or hold on 

 by the long grass, and went over the brink at the foot 

 of the slope into the abyss. When the poor girl was 

 found, the braid of her hair, which she wore twisted 

 in a knot behind her head, was lying in the cavity of 

 the brain. Misfortunes occur almost every year from 

 the treacherous smoothness of these grassy slopes. 



We at last regained the path. It was raining at 

 Garmisch. The effect of the slanting sun-rays on the 

 thin clouds was of exceeding loveliness. The moun- 

 tains were arrayed in pearly hues ; vapoury horizontal 

 mists were lying lightly on the air near their tops, but 

 their grey and snowy peaks could be seen rising above 

 them. A magnificent rainbow now blushed into ex- 

 istence, spanning the mountain to the very top with its 

 lofty elliptical curvature : while the part that was earth- 

 ward rested on the side of the mountain, showering a 

 halo of rosy and violet light upon the trees and bushes. 

 The whole scene was surpassingly beautiful. 



A rugged and broken path leads from the road 

 down to Parchant. We were full an hour descending 

 to the village, and one hour of such descent fatigues 

 and racks .the joints far more than a whole morning's 

 climbing : it was a hard day's work, and we had all 

 enough. Tired and dirty as I was, the sight of the 

 inn cheered and gladdened me. Having first well 

 cleaned my rifle, I attended to myself; and presently, 



