266 IX THE LAND OF THE BORA. 



they would pass. After lying quiet for some time 

 and hearing nothing but a rolling stone, which 

 the melting snow might have released, I saw my 

 error, and went to the edge. Nothing in sight. 

 I was deceived, then, when I thought I heard a 

 cough below. They must have turned sharp back 

 and gone up the couloir again. This was my 

 second, and what may be called an instructive, 

 mistake. What business had I to assume, once I 

 had lost sight of them, that they would go back 

 to where they had just been disturbed? The 

 assumption, indeed, was just as absurd as my 

 previous one, that they would come up towards the 

 place where an hour previously they had seen a 

 man and been fired at. As a matter of fact, as I now 

 know, I then had a chance second to none I got 

 that whole season, and I muddled it in this way. 



"Well," I thought, "the game's up now; and 

 it's too late to think of looking for others, whom 

 the row above will probably have driven into the 

 woods. I must give it up and go home." I tried 

 the north side, but failed to get down there, so 

 climbed up to the ridge again ; and, partly glissad- 

 ing the snow-slopes, and partly scrambling down 

 the rocks, descended at a fair pace, keeping nearly 

 on the line of the main ridge. I did not pay 

 much attention to the dog, but afterwards I recol- 

 lected he continued to try about more than usual. 

 My gun, of course, was slung over my shoulder. 



