UP THE MOUNTAIN. 253 



was wheeling upwards and bearing away from us, and 

 was now so far that it would have been useless to send 

 a bullet after him in his flight. 



" Had we seen him sooner, I might have had a shot," 

 said Neuner. "Four florins are given for every one 

 we deliver to the head-forester." 



" Are they very large ?" I asked. 



" Seven feet from wing to wing ; and they are strong 

 too ; they carry away the young kids. When the cha- 

 mois see one wheeling in the air, there is a terrible com- 

 motion, the poor helpless things are so frightened. I 

 have often watched them : they all run together, and 

 huddle as close as possible with the kids in the middle, 

 and wait tremblingly till their enemy is gone." 



After continuing along the crest of the mountain for 

 some time, we again sat down on a commanding spot, to 

 look if anything was to be seen. We saw nothing ; so 

 at last I gave up the search, and let my eyes wander 

 dreamily around, just as they listed, without aim or pur- 

 pose. I saw all, but it was supinely, and with the happy 

 consciousness that not one single object concerned me, 

 or could disturb my delicious inactivity, — a sweet state 

 of utter indolence. The early hour of rising, the fatigue 

 and the excitement, all induce this calm and dozing list- 

 lessness. The muscles relax kindly, and the whole body 

 reposes in a state of slothful Eastern ease. 



While thus outstretched upon the earth, my elbow 

 buried in the grass, and my head resting on my hand, 

 gradually my eyes wandered to fewer objects, and at 

 last gazed with but little consciousness at a single ^one. 

 Slowly a thin veil moved before it ; I heard the voices 

 of the women floating lullingly on the air, and indistinct 

 remembrances were lazily trying to marshal themselves 

 into some sort of order in my brain, but they could not 



