406 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



forward, till we thought we could manage to reach as 

 far as to the point of rock, without losing our balance. 

 We tried first of course, then stretched out one hand 

 further and further till at last we had reached it. 

 Once in our hand, it was all right. Then the other 

 foot was to be gently advanced close to the first ; and 

 again slided carefully forwards to the opposite ledge ; 

 and when it was firmly planted there, and we thought 

 we were well balanced, the bit of rock was let go, and 

 the foot still on the middle of the tree was quickly 

 brought up beside the other. Luckily the rock rose 

 just in the centre of the gap ; for if it had been nearer 

 one side or the other we could not have accomplished 

 the passage, as it would then have been impossible to 

 reach and lay hold of the stone, while one foot was 

 still on firm ground." 



" When you came back, how did you lift the cha- 

 mois over the gap ?" I inquired. " You surely did not 

 carry him over?" 



"No indeed, it was as much as we could do to 

 get over ourselves, without having a dead weight like 

 that at our backs. When we had him so far, we 

 pushed him forwards on the tree, till one of us on 

 the opposite side could lay hold of his fore legs and 

 pull him over ; but we tied him first to a rock : we 

 dared not trust to our being able to hold him; for 

 had he slipped while in our hands, he would have 

 pulled us over too." 



" But," said I, "to me it is unintelligible how it is 

 possible to get along a ledge so narrow, when you have 



