THE SOLACHERS. 75 



it ; and we look as certainly for boldness of deed in a 

 Solacher as we do for boldness of thought, of action, or 

 of word, from one who is a Napier. A Solacher is an 

 authority in all matters of the chase in the mountains. 

 They have all been hunters from their youth upwards ; 

 from their first childhood they have heard exciting stories 

 of the chase, and have been fed with traditions of the 

 times before them. To follow the chamois is, with them, 

 rather an instinct than a passion ; the air of the moun- 

 tain-tops seems their proper element, and they have pre- 

 ferred that, and freedom of breathing and of limb, to all 

 beside where these were not to be obtained. 



Max, with whom I became acquainted later, told me 

 how once a nobleman had proposed to take him into his 

 service, and made him very advantageous offers. And 

 on my asking if he had not been inclined to accept them, 

 he laughed at the thought, and said, " What ! quit the 

 mountains ! why I don't think I should be able to en- 

 dure it for a day. Had he offered me ten times as much 

 I should have refused. For my part, I can't imagine a 

 happier life than that of a forester j I know very well 

 that /would not change with anybody in the world V 

 And thus they are all ; the very maidens look upon a- 

 hunter's life as the most enviable lot that could fall to 

 the share of man ; and the daring climber, the skilful 

 stalker, and the unfailing shot, are sure of due apprecia- 

 tion at their hands. All such do they hold in high 

 honour. They speak of their brothers with genuine sis- 

 terly pride, and right pleasant it is to hear them. 



At the same moment with ourselves these daughters 

 entered the room of the cottage. They had, it seems, 

 been to a neighbouring village wake, and had only just 

 returned. It was dark when we came in, but now a 

 light was brought ; and as I turned suddenly to look at 



