THE PREPARATION. 229 



Now let me see : in the rucksack are the telescope and 

 hammer, and small leathern bag with balls for the day's 

 use ; and flask, and drinking-cup, and knife, et cetera, et 

 cetera. 



Yes, now I have all. The joppe must not be packed 

 — that is to be worn ; and whether on a journey, on the 

 mountains, or in the library, a more comfortable gar- 

 ment is not to be found. It is at once all that may 

 be desired, — is warm or cool, and may be worn over 

 another coat as well as alone. This said joppe, now the 

 national dress of the peasant of the Bavarian highlands, 

 of Styria and the Tyrol, can lay claim to high descent ; 

 it is, with slight variation, the ancient short royal 

 mantle that we occasionally see on the stage — such as 

 Harry the Eighth wore — lined with ermine, and made so 

 that it hung loosely on the wearer, or could be wrapped 

 close should he choose, as theatrical kings often do, to 

 cross his arms on his breast and scowl upon mankind. 

 There is nothing like a joppe, grey turned up with green : 

 the ermine has disappeared, but the lineage is to be traced 

 for all that. 



And now for the rifle ; but before putting it in the 

 leathern case, just one look to see that all is in order; 

 and up it goes to the shoulder, and we are delighted at 

 the fineness of the sights, and should be glad to get a 

 good long shot to test their accuracy. For, be it known, 

 we have had some alterations made since using it last ; 

 the sight at the end has been filed away till its pinV 

 head shape was changed to a thinner form, and the inden- 

 tation on the bridge in the middle of the barrels has also 

 been made proportion ably finer. For in firing at a great 

 distance, if the sight in front is of coarse size, the cha- 

 mois is quite covered by it ; a chamois not being a very 

 large animal. The charge too has been increased for a 



