THE KARWENDEL MOUNTAINS. 367 



the grandeur and desolation quite suddenly, emerging 

 as you do from between the rocks of the picturesque 

 pass. 



The huge shoulders of the mountain receded gradually 

 a considerable distance, forming large plains of snow, 

 dazzling and resplendent with the brilliancy of the rising 

 sun. From out this high frozen field rises suddenly the 

 precipitous wall that forms the torn and blasted crest, 

 which even the boldest climber could never reach. Over 

 the cold wide expanse brooded that awful silence which 

 always reigns in mountain solitudes. The very sharp- 

 ness of every outline against the blue sky, the distinct- 

 ness in which the whole is spread before you, added, I 

 thought, to its character of desolation and loneliness. 

 There was no blending anywhere — nowhere a shadow: 

 there was no room left for self-delusion. You were 

 shown clearly and unmistakably that not a single thing 

 had there a being; and while the glaring light disco- 

 vered every part it gave no warmth, but only showed how 

 frigid, and unsympathizing, and dead was all that lay 

 before you. Within the vast amphitheatre on the right 

 the ground was broken by great chasms ; and here all 

 looked very dreary. It was thitherwards we took our 

 way : it looked the more gloomy now from being 

 entirely in shade. Seating ourselves, we gazed down- 

 wards and around. We peered long into every part in 

 vain. " It's a strange thing/' said Hans ; " I would have 

 wagered anything we should have seen chamois here. I 

 was never here yet without meeting them. Two bucks 

 were here regularly for some time past, and now they are 

 missing ;" and he peered still more searching]? into every 

 recess, and up among the rocky shelves, but still in- 

 effectually. A long silence followed. " I see him \" he 

 exclaimed suddenly, putting up his telescope ; " there he 



