UP THE MIESING. 57 



mine for his, which was not shod. We advanced and 

 lay behind a bush, and drew out our glasses. Five 

 chamois were there, grazing on the slope, skirted by a 

 wood. Berger's whole frame was alive with expectation; 

 his face wore quite a different expression to what it 

 had before ; his eyes seemed larger, his body more 

 supple, his powers of motion other than in everyday life 

 — the whole creature was changed. "Now then," he 

 said, "come along, quick und schon stad /" (quickly 

 and nicely quiet.) We moved on, but a breath of air 

 stirred, and they must have got wind of us, for they 

 began to move towards the wood, and soon disappeared 

 within it. There was now nothing to be done but to go 

 round and get above them, for it was late, and the cur- 

 rent of air had already set in from below. Just as we 

 had reached the top I heard a slight rustle, and stopped 

 to listen ; when in an instant there was a rushing down 

 the steep and over the broken ground as of an animal 

 in full flight. By the step I was sure it was deer 

 (hinds), and said so to Berger. "They were not cha- 

 mois — they made too much noise ; nor was it the rush 

 of a stag. It must have been a hind." 



" You are right," he cried ; " there they go ! I see 

 them down below — two hinds — they heard us moving 

 along above them." 



" Do you think they will take the chamois along with 

 them ?" 



" No, I think not. We shall most likely meet them 

 further on ; if not, we will sit and watch for them." 



This is one of the great difficulties of stalking in the 

 mountains, — to do so almost unheard. Fragments of 

 stone are lying about, latschen with their long trailing 

 branches and dense foliage, or steep beds of Geroll, cross 

 your path, which the lightest step will set in motion, and 



