a day's sport on the krammets berg. 171 



to ascend. I was nearing the top of my chimney, when 

 the chamois, seeing Xavier approach, leaped down into 

 the chasm below, so that we both had onr trouble for no- 

 thing. Coming down the chimney, it not being narrow 

 enough, I found to be more difficult work than get- 

 ting up. 



The chamois was now some distance lower than our- 

 selves ; before going after it therefore we looked for the 

 slot of the one that had made off. The traces of blood 

 on the rocks showed it had taken a direction that led 

 out of the clam. Higher up was a much worse place 

 than where we had just been. 



ff It is very difficult to get out yonder," said Xavier. 

 " The chamois has gone there, and has probably stolen 

 away among the latschen." 



" Have you ever been out that way ?" 



" Yes, once," he answered : " I was up here one day, 

 so 1 thought I would see if there was a way out or not ; 

 -'tis a terrible place, I assure you." 



There was a broad, slanting surface of crumbling rock 

 where we now stood, like an immense table, one end of 

 which was lifted very high. It seemed as if this must 

 lead out of the clam, or at least to a good height up its 

 side ; on this therefore I advanced cautiously. The slope 

 did not end on the ground, but about twenty-five or thirty 

 feet from it, and then fell abruptly to the jagged rocks 

 below. The plane was so inclined that to walk there was 

 hardly possible. Every now and then the brittle surface 

 would crack off : however, difficult as it was, and in spite 

 of a slip or two, I managed to proceed. At last I was 

 obliged to go on all fours. Some minutes after I began 

 to slip backward. The stone crumbled away as it came 

 in contact with my thickly-nailed shoes, which I tried 

 to dig into the rock, and thus stop my descent. I strove 



