246 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



and on the other side, in one unbroken sheet, sloped 

 down to a distance of five or six hundred feet. Now 

 it often happens that obstacles surmounted perhaps 

 with ease, under the flush of hope and excitement 

 become magnified when failure has subdued the spirits. 

 And though the ridge of snow had been passed with 

 safety but a little before, it now presented a barrier 

 before which the courage both of hunter and hounds 

 quailed with trepidation. As he looked down into the 

 depth below, on either side, he almost shuddered to 

 think that he had crossed such a place ; but the thought 

 that it still lay between himself and home was more 

 unpleasant still. Darkness, however, was coming on 

 apace, and he knew full well that if he would not pass 

 the night on those snowy heights the passage must be 

 made again. Urging his dogs forward, therefore, he 

 prepared to follow them ; but his own want of con- 

 fidence appeared to have extended to his dumb com- 

 panions, and though unable to speak or remonstrate, 

 they obeyed with instinctive reluctance. The leading 

 hound, however, had not advanced far when he lost his 

 footing, and in spite of every effort to recover himself, 

 rolled down one of the steep banks of snow before 

 mentioned. The fox-hunter watched his hound until 

 in the waning light it was almost out of sight ; but 

 then seeing that its fall was arrested by some level 

 surfaces, where it now stood, apparently without hurt, 

 he determined rather than face the danger of the 

 narrow ridge before him, in the gloom of evening, 

 to follow his hound's example ; knowing from his 

 acquaintance with the locality, that if he once gained 

 the lower ground, the greatest difficulty in his way 

 home would be past. Calling back the rest of his 

 pack, therefore, he rolled up his plaid, and seating 

 himself upon it as a cushion, began to slide down the 



