THE OLD BUCK. 301 



slip, down you go, till a tree or shrub or some inequality 

 of surface stops your descent. There was no danger now ; 

 but when such a grassy slope or laane ends on the brink 

 of a precipice, it is rather perilous if your foot should 

 glide. Some years ago a dairymaid from one of the huts 

 on the mountains near Berchtesgaden slipped in coming 

 down a laane. She was unable to stop herself or hold on 

 by the long grass, and went over the brink at the foot of 

 the slope into the abyss. When the poor girl was found, 

 the braid of her hair, which she wore twisted in a knot 

 behind her head, was lying in the cavity of the brain. 

 Misfortunes occur almost every year from the treacherous 

 smoothness of these grassy slopes. 



We at last regained the path. It was raining at Gar- 

 misch. The effect of the slanting sun-rays on the thin 

 clouds was of exceeding loveliness. The mountains were 

 arrayed in pearly hues; vapoury horizontal mists were 

 lying lightly on the air near their tops, but their grey 

 and snowy peaks could be seen rising above them. A 

 magnificent rainbow now blushed into existence, span- 

 ning the mountain to the very top with its lofty elliptical 

 curvature : while the part that was earthward rested on 

 the side of the mountain, showering a halo of rosy and 

 violet light upon the trees and bushes. The whole scene 

 was surpassingly beautiful. 



A rugged and broken path leads from the road down 

 to Farchant. We were full an hour descending to the 

 village, and one hour of such descent fatigues and racks 

 the joints far more than a whole morning's climbing : it 

 was a hard day's w r ork, and we had all enough. Tired 

 and dirty as I was, the sight of the inn cheered and glad- 

 dened me. Having first well cleaned my rifle, I attended 

 to myself; and presently, refreshed and with a good ap- 

 petite, went down to the little parlour to sup, where I 



