UP THE MIESING. 61 



it, though so far off; and be quick, and get among the 

 latschen." Giving him my telescope, which was much 

 the better one, I moved on over the slanting mass of 

 loose stones. 



With body bent as low as possible I tried to creep 

 noiselessly upwards. I dared not use my pole to steady 

 myself, for the weight would have forced it among the 

 loose rubble, and made as much or more noise than my 

 footsteps occasioned. Taking it in my left hand, on 

 which side also my rifle was slung, I steadied myself with 

 the right, and so at last reached some larger fragments 

 of stone, which were firmer to the tread, and over which 

 I could consequently get along more rapidly. The shel- 

 tering latschen were at length gained, and I flung my- 

 self down behind them, quite out of breath with excite- 

 ment and from moving thus doubled up together. 



In this safe haven Berger soon joined me. " They 

 are at rest," he said. " Now alPs right ! we have them 

 now ! But how shall we get across ?" he asked, as he 

 looked round to reconnoitre our position. " Yonder 

 they'll see us ; we must pass over the ridge above, and 

 go round and see if there is a way." 



This we did, and once on the other side, kept just 

 sufficiently low down to prevent our heads being seen 

 above the sky-line. But after advancing some hundred 

 yards, we came to a spot where the ridge swept suddenly 

 downwards, forming a gap between us and the chamois. 

 To proceed without being seen was impossible. On our 

 right it was rather steep, but we were obliged to descend 

 a good way, and then the same distance up again further 

 on, in order to reach the Roth Wand unobserved. 



" Here we are at last ! Are they still at rest, Berger ? 

 just look across through the branches of yonder latschen 

 above you." 



