HOMEWARDS. 267 



even if not so generally, I am quite sure that now you 

 cannot help- being affable. But does not success always 

 make us happy ? 



We took the buck to Neuner's cottage, and his sister 

 stepped out to welcome us. Now came the sweet words 

 of gratulation, — sweet and gentle-sounding ever, be the 

 language what it may in which they are spoken. Some 

 of the hair was then pulled out to make a gemsbart ; it 

 was jet black, but unfortunately rather short. Six weeks 

 later it would have waved the whole length of his back 

 in long and splendid tufts. He weighed, when cleaned, 

 61 ^lb., and of fat alone. we took 51b. out of him. 



"There are calamities in authorship which only au- 

 thors know," writes Charles Lamb to a friend; and just 

 so with the sportsman — there is many a circumstance 

 which he only can appreciate. All these little incidents 

 therefore I mention purposely ; for, though very trifling 

 in themselves, they belong here, and it is such after all 

 that contribute in no small degree to make up the sum 

 of the pleasures of the chase. Just as the place where 

 you follow the game, or the spot where it falls, serves to 

 enhance your delight, so the length and colour of the 

 beard,* the size or beauty of the horns, the casual meet- 

 ing with some forester or friend as you are going down- 

 ward with your prize over your shoulders, — all these and 

 a thousand other chance events contribute to your plea- 

 sure, and swell the amount of your enjoyment. 



We were told that two shots had been heard on the 

 Oester Berg, the mountain that rises immediately behind 

 Farchant. It was probably Bauer, the under- gamekeeper ; 

 for he had gone out betimes that morning, and was not 

 yet returned. Nor did he come later. We supposed 



* The so-called " beard," be it remembered, is the hair growing along 

 the ridge of the back. 



