224 SPORT IN EUROPE 



stronger, and the chamois would not scent us ; and the result proved 

 him to be right. In fact, in the narrow gorges of the Alps, only 

 an experienced guide of the locality can judge the very changeable 

 direction of the wind, which, rising on warm and sunny days from 

 the Italian lakes, reaches the frozen peaks from all directions. 



Crawlino- round the edoe, we orot to the oulch of which the ";uide 

 had spoken without being seen by the chamois, while, with my crippled 

 knee, it seemed almost too hard a task to me to reach the wished-for 

 pointed rock by climbing the steep wall above us. I refrained from 

 looking down in the precipice, which abruptly descended in the valley 

 at least 1,500 feet below us, for a slip would have meant instant death. 

 But the o'uide assured me that, as the condition of the mountain was 

 favourable, the weather dry and the rock therefore safe, we would get 

 there all right, as he would push me along with his head from behind. 

 And so, helping myself with elbows and feet against the narrow walls 

 of the gulch, and pushed by the guide, I at last, after an hour and 

 a half of hard work, arrived quite out of breath at the desired spot, 

 where I paused hidden behind a rock to recover my wind, a prey to 

 the most violent emotions, fearing that in the meantime the chamois 

 might have got our scent, and thus disappeared. My guide, unable 

 to restrain his own impatience, thrust his head over the edge, but 

 speedily withdrew it, from which I gathered with relief that the 

 chamois was still there, taking a rest on the rock. I sighted carefully, 

 and shot him still lying on the snow at about 150 yards, though it 

 is usual to whistle before firino-, which has the effect of makine the 

 animal stand erect, and thereby offer a far better target than when 

 lying down. On being hit, the chamois stood up and remained 



