70 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



latschen growing about, and wherever they are found 

 anything may be undertaken. 



" Let us mark the place well where he is lying," said 

 Berger, "otherwise we shall not find him when once 

 down below; as we have no dog we must be careful 

 what we are about. Let me see ! he is just below yon- 

 der high piece of rock with the tall latschen." 



" Look, Berger," I said ; " from the top of the Roth 

 Wand a line of rough-pointed rocks stretches down- 

 wards to the valley." 



"Well, I see them." 



"They form two ridges beneath each other. Now, 

 over the second ridge the chamois is at rest. If we mark 

 those high ridges well, we cannot be at fault." 



And observing attentively the form of the rock where 

 we now stood, in order that it might afterwards serve as 

 a landmark, we prepared to descend. Berger went first 

 over the bed of geroll. He stopped a moment, and 

 said, " Now give me your rifle ; you '11 get on then much 

 more easily." He slung it over his shoulder with his 

 own, when suddenly his foot slipped, and down he went, 

 sliding on his back over the loose stones ; and, though 

 he turned himself round immediately, was quite unable 

 to arrest his progress. At the foot of the bed of stones 

 there was fortunately no precipice, or over it he would 

 most certainly have gone. 



" Are you hurt, Berger ?" I added, when at last he 

 stopped. 



" No," he answered laughing. " But what a noise it 

 made ! how the stones came rattling down ! Now then, 

 carefully ! Stop ! Rest one foot against my pole ; it is 

 planted firmly, and will bear your weight !" 



" Quick, Berger ! quick ! take care ;" and at the 

 same moment down came a great stone that had been 



