ITALY 223 



a while, detecting nothing suspicious, it became quiet and lay down 

 in the snow a little higher up. Above it was a sharp point of rock, 

 from the top of which I could have got a shot at the range of about 

 150 yards. We held a council of war. The guide vowed that, if 



HAUNTS OF THE CHAMOIS 



we went round the neighbouring ridge, we should find a gulch by 

 which he hoped that we could climb to the overhanging summit. 

 I held, on the other hand, that, owing to the direction of the wind, 

 the chamois would unquestionably scent us; to which the guide 

 rejoined that, as the glacier of the Torena was on the other side of 

 the mountain, the air. rising from that direction, would certainly be 



