284 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



It soon began to rain, and so heavily that we resolved 

 to descend. On our slippery way down we found here 

 and there the genuine Iceland moss. At last we reached 

 a hollow, where the hut of a woodcutter was standing, 

 and, rude as it was, it proved a welcome shelter. We 

 were all wet to the skin. The younger forester took off 

 his joppe, and wrung the water from his shirt-sleeves : 

 he complained of being cold ; however I did not feel so, 

 and lying down on the bed of dry leaves, with my face 

 toward the open door, 'watched the mist and rain so long 

 that at last I fell asleep. After the rain it grew some- 

 what clearer, and in going along we could see down into 

 a green valley. 



" Once upon a time five good stags were there," said 

 Neuner, pointing to the glen. 



"It was hereabout that Bauer shot his stag, was it 

 not V asked the other. 



" Yes, just there, near yonder steep bank." 



" And who shot the others ?" I asked. 



"Oh, poachers no doubt," said Neuner, "for they 

 soon disappeared. Perhaps they were scared away and 

 shot somewhere else; however we saw none of them." 



" And did you never meet any of the men when you 

 have been out on the mountain ?" 



" No ; and had I caught one and brought him to the 

 police, it is a hundred to one that he would have been 

 punished." 



" There was a keeper at Schlier See — Bromberger 

 was his name — he once met a whole band of poachers, 

 and among them was a notorious rascal; he therefore 

 thought it better not to lose so good an opportunity, 

 but to make sure of him, and, picking him out from the 

 rest, sent a bullet through his body." 



" That was in the old times, perhaps. It was by far 



