250 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



ing their movements with our telescopes, and then I 

 took out our brown bread, and ate, while enjoying the 

 scene. 



" Have you an apple ?" I asked. 



"No." 



" What a pity ! if you had, we could have a splendid 

 meal. Is there no water near ? for I am thirsty." 



" None about here ; even the nearest place is a great 

 distance off." 



Though the mountains opposite us were far away, the 

 bells of the grazing cattle and the shouts of the herds- 

 man came across to us distinctly, floating on the motion- 

 less air. 



Our dry bread being eaten we went on. To the right 

 was a dip in the mountain, and here we expected to see 

 chamois. It was an inviting spot ; and formerly, as 

 Neuner told me, we should have been sure to find some. 

 We looked around, but not a creature was visible. After 

 a time we left our path along the ridge, and advancing 

 among the latschen, sat down and watched. We peered 

 around in vain, examining every dark green patch of her- 

 bage, and each spot lying in the sunshine, where at this 

 hour they would most likely be. We were both looking 

 in one direction, and by chance at the same moment 

 turned our heads ; when behold, on a pinnacle of rock, 

 rising among the herbage, there stood a chamois ! "Look, 

 a chamois \" each exclaimed, — a buck too ! and quick as 

 thought my finger drew back the cock of the rifle, and I 

 was cautiously raising it, when the creature was gone. 

 He did not disappear with a bound, but vanished like a 

 falling star. We looked at each other astonished, for 

 neither very well knew how he had got on that point of 

 rock, nor how he had quitted it ; but gone he was. It 

 was doubly vexatious, for not once in fifty times might 



