THE KARWENDEL MOUNTAINS. 371 



seemed however a long time since he started. I could 

 not see him at a distance, though I carefully scanned the 

 fields of snow before me. After a time I grew uneasy, 

 and fancied that he might perhaps have missed his foot- 

 ing in returning by the narrow ledge, or had gone over 

 the brink of one of those yawning clefts which opened 

 here and there so suddenly. I waited, but still saw and 

 heard nothing. It was quite inexplicable ; for more than 

 enough time had elapsed to enable my companion to 

 make the round, and I ought to see him, at least from 

 afar. The buck too had disappeared. I resolved to wait 

 one hour more, and then, following Hans' s footsteps in 

 the snow, set out in search of him. 



The time had nearly elapsed, when in the far dis- 

 tance, where the gloomy cauldron closed round, I saw 

 a black something which moved. Yes, it was a man, and 

 on closer examination I found it was Hans, carefully 

 descending into the hollow. It was a great relief to 

 know he was safe, though his appearance still so far 

 off puzzled me the more. I got my rifle ready, and kept 

 a sharp look-out ; trembling all the while with cold, and 

 partly may-be with expectation. Presently at a dis- 

 tance the old chamois came sauntering along over the 

 snow. He had seen Hans no doubt, but he was not 

 alarmed. On he came in the expected direction : I lay 

 close and watched him well. He suddenly bore for the 

 rocks, and instead of keeping on the broad snow-field, 

 chose to step along the slightly-projecting ledges, where 

 no animal but a chamois could find a footing. He 

 moved on, still very saunteringly, like the veriest 

 lounger who has nothing in the world to do. He Avas 

 further off than I had hoped he would be ; but, though 

 a long shot, he was within range. I put up a second 

 sight, aimed, stretched out at full length on the snow, and 



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