66 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



To aim nearly straight downwards is always more diffi- 

 cult than in any other direction, and standing as I did 

 made it much more so ; but still I thought I had hit 

 him. 



" He remains behind," cried Berger ; " you have hit 

 him ! Well done ! ' Faith, that was a good shot — a 

 hundred and thirty yards at least. Quick, quick ! we 

 may get a shot at the others as they go over yonder 

 rocks;" and darting up the ridge before him, he ran 

 on along the edge of the precipice as if it had been a 

 broad highway. At another time, without a rifle in my 

 hand, I should have followed him with caution ; but the 

 excitement of the hunter was upon me, impelling me 

 to undertake anything, and I sprang after him, and on 

 along the edge, driven forwards by a longing and a 

 thirst and craving which made everything seem possible. 



" There they are ! they're crossing that patch of snow. 



in August, 1855. He was out with his son, following a buck along the 

 north side of the Engelhorner, when at last, by craning over the brink 

 of the precipice, he was just able to get sight of the game. To obtain 

 a fuller view he, like myself, rested one foot on a small projection of 

 rock, when, at the very moment he was about to fire, the stone crumbled 

 away beneath his tread, and over he went into the abyss. What is most 

 remarkable is that his son, as yet a boy, seems from that moment to have 

 been unconscious of what he did. All he knows is, that he soon after 

 found himself beside his dead father's body, holding his shattered head 

 and kissing his face. Afterwards he went to his uncle in Eosenlaui to 

 bring him the sad intelligence. It was too late that day to go for the 

 body, but on the morrow four of the most experienced and agile moun- 

 taineers proceeded to the spot with ropes, etc., to help them in getting 

 down to the chasm. The difficulties were so great, however, that one of 

 the men would go no further, but gave up the task. At last, and after 

 incredible risks, they reached tbe corpse, and brought it to Rosenlaui. 



And yet the boy, in the excitement of anguish, and blind to the sur- 

 rounding obstacles, without help surmounted them all ; and in the total 

 unconsciousness of danger, passed safely tlirough the most fearful perils. 

 It is a psychological mystery. 



