CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



Year after year passed away thus, and, thanks to the 

 great kindness of the noble possessor of the extensive 

 forests where I shot my first red deer, I afterwards en- 

 joyed the privilege of always joining his party when the 

 season began. Overlooking the Danube, the woods 

 through which we ranged extended on every side for 

 many miles. Right pleasant days were those, when we 

 were met in the morning by the young foresters bringing 

 their report of where the deer were to be found. The 

 young fellows had been abroad since the dawn, and had 

 crossed the furthest hill-top and skirted many a wood to 

 be ready by the time of our arrival. They now came 

 pouring in from all sides to the trysting-place, bringing 

 with them the expected intelligence. In Stein Seigen 

 were two stags, one of ten and the other of twelve;* 

 indeed he might have fourteen, so large was his slot. 

 Another had been round Hell Berg and Schopf Loh, but 

 had seen nothing. He had seen tracks of deer, it is 

 true, but they were old ones ; and where they had gone 

 to he could not think. They must have been disturbed, 

 for " he had had them there" for four successive days, 

 and they were there yesterday. Suddenly perhaps a 

 messenger would arrive, all breathless with haste, with 

 such speed had he come down the steep path that leads 

 through the forest to the village. He brought the news 

 that the stag which had disappeared so suddenly was come 

 back again. " The same that Count H. missed lately ?" 

 " Yes, the very same :" he was now in a small wood on 

 the hill-side in the next forest, and a young peasant who 



* An expression made use of above may need explanation. The 

 points on the antlers of a stag increase in number with his years ; to 

 them therefore reference is always made when denoting the age and size 

 of the animal. " A stag of twelve" is one with twelve points or branches 

 to his antlers. 



