UP THE MIESING. 53 



covered with wood. And now we emerge into a broad 

 valley , and before us is the Miesing, and to the left the 

 Wendelstein, with its high conical summit, whence, ac- 

 cording to the song, may be seen the two tall church 

 towers* " of the great city where the King dwells." It 

 is a striking feature in the mountain-chain, for, though 

 not the highest of the peaks, it seems to be so, rising 

 as it does abruptly and alone. A few cottages were clus- 

 tered together beside a stream at no great distance from 

 our path, and cattle were grazing in the several fields, 

 while a little peasant-boy poured forth his orisons, for 

 such I took his gladsome song to be, in that fair temple 

 not built by human hands. 



As we went along, the neighbouring mountains sug- 

 gested many a tale of interest to the hunter. " There," 

 said Berger, pointing to a wood on our right halfway 

 down the hill-side, — " there, two years ago, was a stag of 

 sixteen. Such a stag ! his antlers were splendid ; and 

 what a size he was !" 



" And who shot him ?" I asked. 



" That I don't know. The foresters saw him often, 

 and could have shot him many a morning had they liked ; 

 but Count A. had given strict orders to forbid them, and 

 at last he was seen no more. He disappeared suddenly, 

 — most likely the poachers got him. It was such a hart 

 as will not often be seen again." 



And some distance further on : — " Up yonder to the 

 left, quite at the top of the mountain, I one day shot 

 three chamois." 



" How did you manage that ?" 



" Why, first I shot two, right and left ; and then, know- 

 ing where the others would cross the mountain, I ran 



* Of the church of Our Lady in Munich. 



