302 IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 



weary way up a moraine, the upper part of which, 

 being composed entirely of small stones, afforded 

 literally no sure foothold. Still, I was up there 

 long enough before there was any need to be. 

 Behind me a couloir, possibly practicable for 

 chamois, though I had never known one to use it, 

 broke the long line of sheer precipice ; and the 

 shade of the cliffs, together with the vicinity of 

 the snow, made waiting very cold work. How- 

 ever, like all other things, it came to an end, and 

 the shouts of the beaters became audible in the 

 distance. Nearer and nearer they came, and at 

 last I began to think it was going to be a blank 

 beat. Just then I -heard the wished-for rattle of 

 stones, and caught sight of the backs of part of 

 a herd exactly in front of me. This was provoking, 

 for I did not care about shooting any more small 

 stuff; and his Excellency, who had never shot, or 

 shot at, a chamois, was little likely to have a shot 

 at these unless I could head them off. As soon, 

 therefore, as I again caught sight of the heads of 

 the leading ones, now coming straight up towards 

 me, I took a snap shot at the first, and rose to 

 my feet with a shout. At the short range I 

 naturally overshot the "head and shoulders 

 target" thus presented, but gained my object in 

 that the herd turned downwards. Next below me 

 a gendarme had been placed to act as a stop, 

 which duty he carried out by " plastering" one 



