420 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



by a friend who well knew all the parties concerned. I 

 give the story in his own words. 



" Meier, the forester stationed at Gmund,* was one day 

 out on his usual rounds, when suddenly he heard the 

 crack of a rifle. He went towards the place, and there 

 — it was on the Gschwendter Berg — he saw a poacher 

 standing over a stag which he had just shot. Meier 

 dashed at him ; they struggled long together, but at last 

 he overpowered the fellow, and binding his hands toge- 

 ther, took him as prisoner to Miesbach, to the house of the 

 head-forester. Here he got a light cart and horse, with 

 a lad for driver ; and making the poacher seat himself 

 beside the boy, Meier walked along near the cart, with 

 his rifle over his shoulder. As the man's hands were 

 tied firmly together, he thought there was no danger of 

 his attempting to escape. 



" You know the road from Agathenried to Miesbach, 

 and how hilly and rough it is? Well, just as they 

 reached the steep hill, the poacher gave the lad who was 

 seated next to him a shove, and sent him out of the cart ; 

 then taking hold of the reins, which he could very well 

 do although he was handcuffed, made the horse set off 

 at full gallop down the hill. Meier, who was a little 

 behind, seeing the impossibility of overtaking him, le- 

 velled his rifle and shot him right through the middle of 

 the back. The man rolled out of the cart quite dead. 



" This circumstance, as you may suppose, called forth 

 feelings of deadliest hate. All the poacher's friends were 

 mad with rage at their comrade's death. Month after 

 month this state of excitement lasted, and time did not 

 seem to abate their fury in the least. They only waited 

 for an opportunity to take their revenge. 



* Gmund lies at the northern extremity of Tegemsee, on the border 

 of the lake. 



