174 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



and recrossed by that of others which had passed there 

 lately, would be impossible. 



I forgot to say that, when slipping downwards, I had, 

 in order to stop my descent, convulsively clutched at a 

 piece of rock with my right hand, hoping to save myself. 

 It came away like the rest ; yet it caused a momentary 

 strain on my shoulder, and seemed to jerk it out of the 

 socket. For a second or two the arm fell helpless. I 

 had now time to examine the limb, and finding I could 

 lift my arm concluded all was right, and trusted that the 

 pain would cease by the time we got home. 



We now clambered down to the chamois : all was so 

 jagged and broken that there was not a place broad 

 enough to stand upon which was not sharp and cutting. 

 At last how r ever we reached him, and glad enough I was 

 to know the poor animal was out of suffering. 



On looking round for a convenient spot whither we 

 might drag the chamois, in order to clean it before put- 

 ting it in the rucksack, I espied drops of water dripping 

 from a crevice. " Water ! water ! Xavier," I cried with 

 as much delight as when Cortes first beheld the sea from 

 a peak on Darien. A cup which we had with us was 

 quickly fixed so as to receive the precious oozing fluid, 

 and then, with the addition of a little rum from my flask, 

 what a delicious draught did it afford ! 



" Here, Xavier, drink ! Was there ever such water ! 

 How icy cold, and clear I" We sat down and ate a 

 crust of bread, while fresh drops were w r elling into the 

 cup, which we had propped up with stones. How ex- 

 quisite was our repast ! and how strange all the features, 

 deep down in that stony place, telling of a power which 

 made you feel a crushing sense of helplessness ! 



The water came out of the solid rock drop by drop in 

 a marvellous manner, as though Moses' rod had touched 



