340 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



ring the night and towards morning a low bellowing 

 resounded across the valley, it would cease at daybreak, 

 and there was no saying when it might be heard again. 

 There never had been such a season as this. Stags, and 

 good ones too, were about in plenty : but if they were 

 silent, how was it possible to come up with them and get 

 a shot ? 



" The weather has been very mild hitherto/' I said to 

 my good friend Hans, who had always been out with 

 me the year before ; " the season is advancing, and we 

 shall surely have a change before long. A clear cold 

 night, and you will hear the stags the whole morning 

 long, for certain. Where do you think were the best 

 place for us to try our fortune ?" 



" Why, I should say 'twere best to go to Baumgarten," 

 replied Hans. " The ground there is good for stalking, 

 and moreover not a shot has been fired there yet. It 

 has been kept quite quiet. And there are some good 

 stags there too/' he continued, with a movement of the 

 head that indicated the word " good " meant something 

 really superlative. " Franzl was there lately, and saw 

 two, — both of them stags of twelve, and perhaps more. 

 But such antlers ! If you could get a shot at them you 

 would be pleased indeed, that I'll answer for." 



That night the weather changed. Thick mists came 

 sailing along between the mountains, shutting out every 

 object from the sight. Then the rain began to pour in 

 torrents, changing soon after to hail, and finally becom- 

 ing a blinding snowstorm. Through the impenetrable 

 gloom nothing was visible. Day and night this cheer- 

 less weather lasted, and there was nothing to be done 

 but fling an additional log on the fire and wait for better 

 days. At moments a rent would show itself in the lazy 

 mist j and then the head or shoulder of the opposite 



