260 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



forwards several yards with the loose rubble, my feet in 

 front and my body inclined backwards, leaning on my 

 pole behind. Now all was silent ; Bursch had ceased 

 his baying, so we knew the chamois was dead. On the 

 grass and rocks were frequent drops of blood : but as we 

 could not see where the hound was, we whistled for him, 

 and at the same moment descried him beside the buck, 

 which had fallen close to the trunk of a half-decayed 

 tree. 



Then came the examination of our booty, and of the 

 different shots. On of the horns was gone, broken short 

 off close to the skull in rolling among the rocks after the 

 last shot. I was sorry, for they were high and thick, 

 and had in perfection that short curve peculiar to the 

 buck, which gives him so sturdy an air. 



" Look, Neuner, here 's the first shot ; it has grazed 

 his back-bone badly— a little too high, though. No 

 wonder he stood so bent together after being hit !" 



"And this must be the second," said Neuner, ex- 

 amining another just behind the shoulder. " It was 

 that prevented his being able to hold himself up in 

 coming down the rocks." 



" Well, I am very satisfied with both : that left barrel 

 of mine shoots capitally. Now then, let us pull him 

 out : — how heavy he is ! ;; 



And dragging him to a spot where it was less steep, 

 I gralloched him, and found him in capital condition and 

 as fat as possible. 



