254 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



accomplish it. The carol of the gentian-gatherers was 

 now as a low hum in my ear, and from the valley there 

 rose a mist, and then a rolling cloud. I fell asleep. 



Suddenly there came a shock ; a hand was upon me, 

 and a voice said, ' ' There is a chamois ! " I was wide 

 awake in an instant, and involuntarily cocking the rifle 

 on which my hand rested while I slept, I started to my 

 feet. 



" Oh, it is too far to fire," said Neuner. " There he 

 is!" 



"I see it!" And there stood, far below us among 

 the thick latschen, a fine chamois. Out came the tele- 

 scope. His fore-feet were on a fragment of rock, his 

 sloping back was toward us, and his neck stretched out, 

 with the head knowingly on one side, as though he were 

 listening. He stood so for a long time immovable ; it 

 was evident he did not know what to make of it. 



" Perhaps he hears those women," I observed ; " or, 

 as he is looking downwards, may-be a herdsman is pass- 

 ing below. What shall we do ?" 



" We will wait and see what he does," said Neuner. 



But he still remained, and gazed and listened. And 

 well might he tarry, for from the rocks above no danger 

 could reach him ; and to approach where he stood with- 

 out being perceived was next to impossible. Yet he was 

 mistrustful, and soon skipped lightly away. The manner 

 of his leaving the spot, however, showed he was not 

 frightened ; prudence, rather than fear, had induced him 

 to change his position. I knew therefore he would not 

 go far : he would not bound headlong on without stop 

 or stay, as when his fine sense of hearing warned him 

 of danger being near, or the taint of the hunter floated 

 toward him on the air, streaming over a sudden dip of 

 the mountain. He was most likely among the latschen, 



