360 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



still clung to his former opinion, went upwards in a con- 

 trary line. I took up my station on a spot where, should 

 the stag be disturbed and come forth, I could not fail 

 to see him, and probably to bring him down. As I sat 

 there quietly waiting in the silence, I dwelt admiringly 

 on the energy and perseverance of my three companions, 

 gone forth as it were on a voyage of discovery. " I shall 

 go up yonder," Hans said on quitting me, " and pass 

 through that wood. I shall then come downwards, look- 

 ing well through the whole breadth of it as I descend. 

 If the stag is not there, you may be sure we shall have 

 little chance of finding him," thus working out for him- 

 self a way of many miles. Such a search is hard work; 

 but it was undertaken with a readiness that showed how 

 great the interest each took in its success. 



However it did not prove successful ; and some hours 

 after I discovered Hans above me, forcing his way 

 through the branches, and the others soon appeared 

 coming up from the ravine. Thus passed another day. 

 Regret at losing so good a stag was felt by all, by no 

 one so intensely as myself; but it w r as one of those 

 unfortunate incidents which occur occasionally, baffling 

 alike skill, experience, and perseverance. Franz, who 

 was a good cook, now made some dumplings with curds 

 and flour; and before long we were all sitting round 

 the fire, the frying-pan on the floor in the midst, each 

 one with his iron spoon choosing the smoking brown 

 morsels which pleased him best. 



I have been rather minute in this account of our pro- 

 ceedings, although they were followed by no result, in 

 order to show the mischances that attend such moun- 

 tain expeditions, the little incidents on which success 

 will sometimes depend, and the difficulties which the 

 vast extent and character of the ground bring with them. 



