IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 353 



laid on its back, thus &, the lower stroke being 

 the river Narenta, the left-hand one the Eakitnica, 

 and that to the right the Grusca brook — an affluent 

 of the latter river. All three flow through terrific 

 gorges, which rise in places thousands of feet 

 above the water. In the acute angle between the 

 Eakitnica and the Grusca is a grass slope studded 

 with fir trees, where I was assured no human foot, 

 no sheep or goats even, had ever trod, the chamois 

 being the only living thing ever known to go 

 there. The hills between Narenta and Eakitnica 

 (below their confluence) are, as I have already- 

 said, called Chepa, and are separated by these 

 waters from the higher mountains. Nevertheless, 

 in late autumn the chamois work across them, 

 and, when disturbed, generally return whence they 

 came. Here they had been seen. The plan of 

 action, then, was that I should go along the Eakit- 

 nica as near as possible to the confluence of the 

 Grusca, whilst the hounds drew the almost pre- 

 cipitous cliffs opposite me. In case of a possible 

 break-out along that bank, old Zaklan with the 

 little rifle went on to act as a stop. We started 

 off in opposite directions, Duran and I being each 

 accompanied by a villager to act as a guide. My 

 way lay over the ridge behind Kasici village, and 

 down thence to the valley of the Eakitnica, whilst 

 all the others crossed that stream by the bridge. 

 The gorge was easy to reach, but then followed 



2 A 



