50 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



with a shout to take their life indiscriminately wherever 

 they might find them.* 



One great charm of the woods is now therefore gone. 

 They are empty ; they have no inhabitants. Yon now 

 meet no stag's face peeping through the leaves ; nor are 

 you stopped on your path by the sight of well-known 

 pointed footmarks on the soft ground. 



The assistant-forester was not at home; nothing there- 

 fore was to be learnt about the probability of getting a 

 shot. He had been out on the mountains for several days, 

 but was expected home that evening. While at supper 

 we learned that he was returned, and a little later, after 

 having changed his dress, he made his appearance. 



" Well, Berger, good evening \" said the kind old head- 

 forester, as he entered ; ' ' you have had bad weather — eh ? 

 Now, sit down. What have you seen ?" 



" On the Wendelstein yesterday I saw a good chamois 

 buck at about two hundred yards distant. I could only 

 just see the haunch, but still I would have fired, only I 

 had not set the hair-trigger." 



" And you met nobody V 9 



"No, all is quiet. It was terribly cold up on the 

 Wendelstein, and the weather has been as bad as it 

 could be." 



" Well, Berger, do you think there is any likelihood 

 of getting a shot at a chamois when the weather clears 

 up?" 



"Yes; chamois are there, that's certain; and on the 

 Miesing is the best place," he said, turning to me. 

 " We'll go up the Steinberg, and then stalk up the steep 

 part near the latschen. I think we are pretty sure of a 

 shot, — if only all has been quiet, and no poachers have 

 been there to disturb them." 



* See note at the end of the "Volume. 



