UP THE MIESING. 67 



Now they 're stopping again — but too far off; let us go 

 back and look after the wounded one." 



The wounded chamois was standing some distance 

 further down than when I had fired. It was evident by 

 his look that he was very ill — sehr krank, to translate 

 literally the German expression made use of in like cir- 

 cumstances. Stretched out at full length upon the 

 rocks, we looked over the edge, and examined him with 

 our glasses. We saw distinctly where the ball had 

 struck him, — rather high up behind the shoulder. He 

 presently moved off, crossed the snow, and getting 

 among the latschen, after turning round four or five 

 times, lay down. " All 's right now ; we must let him 

 rest for an hour. Let me see ; it is half-past two exactly. 

 We '11 try then to come nearer to him. But where can 

 we get down V said Berger ; " here it is impossible." 



" A little further on, I think, we may manage it ; 

 some latschen are there, and they will help us. But let 

 us stop a little ; there is no hurry, and if we wait some 

 time, it will be all the better." 



I now looked around me. The scene was magnificent. 

 The spot on which I stood was near six thousand feet 

 high j and to the south the view was bounded by ranges 

 of mountains covered with snow, whose peaks rose up 

 one behind the other in every variety of abruptness. 

 Over the vast fields of snow fell here and there a broad 

 shadow, and the brilliant whiteness of the peaks facing 

 us formed a strong contrast with the darker sides that 

 looked towards the east. With my glass every snow- 

 drift was distinctly visible, and terrific places amongst 

 those awful solitudes where no living creature had ever 

 moved. Stretching far out to our left they formed an 

 amphitheatre before us ; and behind, all distant view 

 being shut out by the Miesing, was the valley between 



