112 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



The next morning at five o' clock he came to the inn 

 to fetch me, and we sallied forth at once into the grey 

 dawn. After following the road for some distance we 

 turned aside and entered the forest ; and when the 

 light of the morning had come over the hill-tops and 

 penetrated into the hollows, and through the gloomy 

 boughs, it showed that even already the characteristics 

 of mountain scenery had begun. Beside the rugged 

 path a wild torrent was tumbling over blocks of stone, 

 that in some preceding spring had been loosened and 

 washed down from the higher ground by the rush of 

 a thousand streams. Some huge tree had been felled, 

 and in the deep part thrown across it as a bridge, the 

 branches hanging down in the water, and its trunk 

 mercilessly split and hacked. It was a region of wood, 

 where a whole tree would perhaps be taken to mend the 

 pathway, or mighty stems cut down and left to rot dur- 

 ing succeeding winters. On the hill-side great pines were 

 standing out against the sky, half-uprooted by the blast 

 that had descended upon them suddenly from above j and 

 others, scathed and shivered, were crushing with their 

 weight a young forest that had sprung up beneath their 

 shade. On looking upwards, on both sides and before 

 you was dark solemn foliage, and afar off perhaps and 

 high up a sharp line, beyond which was the welcome sky. 

 We were indeed in the mountains. 



Continually ascending, we went on till we came to a 

 steep slope. Above us the trees were not so dense, and 

 we were able to see far from the spot where we stood. 

 We looked, and in silence. Presently, with his eyes still 

 fixed on some object above him, Max pulled out his tele- 

 scope and made a survey. 



" There are chamois," he said. " I see one, but there 

 are others, I know." 



