364 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



employed. On some boards, covered with straw, was 

 our bed; and putting our joppen and the blanket 

 over us, we were soon asleep. 



I was still exhausted the next morning, though I 

 had slept soundly ; yet I did not like to give way, and 

 tried my best to keep up, but my step that day was 

 void of elasticity, and altogether it was sorry work. 

 The sight at early dawn from the Kramer was in- 

 deed a glorious one. We were almost opposite the 

 Zug Spitz, and seemingly quite near it ; and it was as 

 though we looked down upon the mountains and the 

 snow-plains on their tops. And when the sun came, 

 there was a lovely pageantry ! 



We saw only two chamois the whole day. In going 

 home we met a man, who passed us scowlingly, and 

 without a word, a most unusual and strange omis- 

 sion, for here every wayfarer greets the other as he 

 goes by. 



" That is a poacher of Garmisch," said Bauer, as we 

 went on ; "as great a rascal as ever breathed. I have 

 no doubt but that his rifle is hidden near, somewhere 

 among the stones or latschen." 



This was the last time but one of my going out. I 

 again passed a night at the Oester Berg, and in the 

 morning went out alone, though the overpowering 

 languor still dragged me to the earth. The ground 

 was covered with snow, and mists were on the hills, 

 and a drizzling rain soon began to make everything 

 wet and miserable. At last I found it was useless to 

 try to go on : I was obliged to give it up, being fairly 



