CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



was then the arrival at the place of our destination, the 

 forester's house, where all his men and under- game- 

 keepers drawn up in order were awaiting our arrival — 

 the troop of beaters, uncouth, wild-looking peasants, 

 clothed in every description of dress it is possible to 

 imagine — the conversation with the head-keeper about 

 the game, and the questions as to the day's sport — 

 anxious inquiries too from one of the party, whether a 

 deer that he had wounded some days before had been 

 found or not — in short, the whole scene in which I had 

 become an actor was totally new and strange to me, and 

 I looked on, curious to see what novelty would happen 

 next. 



Each little incident that has so often since seemed 

 like an every- day occurrence, was full of interest then 

 We went out at last into the forest, where all was frost- 

 bound, and every branch and twig enclosed in a crystal 

 covering ; where not a sound was heard, except the dis- 

 tant tramp of the beaters on the crackling snow, as they 

 wound upwards through a hollow. Presently I was left 

 alone at my appointed stand. By-and-by the sharp 

 sound of a rifle came tingling through the clear air, and 

 soon after a troop of deer would come stepping along 

 quite scared and wondering over the snow. It was a 

 new world to me, all this, and every incident gave me 

 fresh delight. Later came the chace of the boar ; and 

 in summer-time I was on the hills, or moving amid the 

 deep stillness of the woods at noon after the majestic 

 stag. That, I thought, surpassed everything in enjoy- 

 ment: the beautiful scenes into which it led me, the 

 exciting circumstances that were constantly occurring, 

 the gallant bearing of the magnificent creature that my 

 rifle had at last brought down — all this caused my whole 

 being to thrill with longing and with joy. After such 



