TO PARTENKIRCHEN. 237 



He knew besides that the foresters dared not fire at him ; 

 while he, defying the law, cared little for a similar re- 

 striction. When hearing of the ill-treatment, and inso- 

 lence, and danger, to which these men were exposed at 

 the time when this lawless spirit broke loose over the 

 land, one only wonders how human patience could have 

 been found so enduring, and that not more human blood 

 was shed. 



For a true sportsman it is a painful thing to see game 

 hunted mercilessly at all times, — the dam shot away from 

 her helpless young, and the kid destroyed when only a 

 few weeks old. And this was going on the whole year 

 round, in every spot where a deer or chamois was to be 

 seen, and the stolen venison sold openly under the very 

 eyes of its lawful possessors. Most of those persons 

 therefore who had a chase, were obliged to exterminate 

 their game themselves, rather than have it shot and 

 carried off by the peasantry, who were ever on the 

 alert. 



I proposed that, if we tried the Oester Berg, w T e 

 should leave overnight, sleep at the hut, and so be on 

 the mountain early. 



"You can do so, if you like," said Neuner; "but if 

 you try this side, then we start tomorrow betimes." 



" How long shall we be getting up the mountain ?" I 

 asked. 



" Four hours." 



" Well then," I said, " we will start at four : at five 

 it is day, and we shall be up by eight. You can come 

 for me in the morning." And so it was decided. 



