MEETING WITH POACHERS. 219 



We reached some rocks : they were not much less steep 

 than those where we had been before, but Berger dashed 

 down them, now rolling, now sliding, now holding on 

 as he best could. Just above that place was an open 

 S pot^ — no bush or rock, nothing but bare stones. I 

 looked below, to see how I was to manage it, for the 

 descent was nearly straight. Halfway down a solitary 

 latschen grew out of the rocks on one side, and I calcu- 

 lated that if I could catch that in passing, and hold by it, 

 I should be all right. I was just stooping to descend, when 

 one of the poachers sent a bullet after me, to quicken 

 me in my resolve ; it luckily fell short. Berger turned, 

 and looked up to see if I was hit. While standing on 

 that bare spot, I no doubt presented too good a mark to 

 let the opportunity pass unimproved. But this so en- 

 raged me, that, had I not been already scrambling down- 

 wards, I should have turned and sent a bullet back in 

 reply j for the young fellow being foremost, it was he, I 

 imagined, who had fired, — he whom I had let pass un- 

 scatned, though I could have taken his life twenty times 

 had I so willed. It was racking work, racing down that 

 steep over the broken ground : every instant T expected 

 another shot to be sent after us : my mouth was parched, 

 my chest was heaving, and as soon as we reached a wood 

 I declared I would run no further. We sat down there- 

 fore behind a tree, where we were safe enough ; for if 

 the men approached we should be sure to see them first, 

 and we both agreed, if they did come, this time to fire. 

 Each of us had two shots, and these would be quite 

 enough to stop their advance. But all was still, and 

 having rested we walked slowly homewards. 



" I was right you see, Berger/' I said, as we went 

 along; "it was a stone I heard rolling; the man was just 

 above us at the time, and dislodged it as he passed." 



