7//A LESGI1IAN MOUNTAINS. 2%t 



my difficulties began. The climb back, like all 

 such climbs, seemed twice as long as it had ap- 

 peared in coining. My eyes were getting heavy 

 and feet like lead. There was no game ahead to 

 allure me forward, no guide by my side to advise 

 or direct my steps. I began to regret my per- 

 sistent pursuit of the red deer. Still, in spite of 

 my fatigue, all went well until I began to cross 

 the roof-like sheet of snow between myself and the 

 hut. Here the light seemed worse than it had 

 been in coming, and the footholds hard to distin- 

 guish. When halfway across 1 very nearly con- 

 cluded my travels, not only for that night but for 

 ever. One of my feet slipped out of the hole in 

 which 1 had placed it, and brought me on my face 

 on the snow. Instinctively I fell inwards, driving 



* D 



my rifle-barrels with all my strength into the snow, 

 and there, for the worst minute of my life, I hung, 

 one foot still in one of the steps and the other leg 

 hanging loose on the smooth surface, not daring 

 to lift myself, for fear lest any extra pressure should 

 break my remaining foothold or loosen the grip 

 of my rifle in the snow, and so send me trebogging 

 down the slope, over the edge of which I should 

 infallibly shoot into eternity. However, it was 

 Christmas Eve, and some good angel buoyed me 

 up ; and when in fear and trembling I slowly made 

 the effort. I did with difficulty regain the upright 

 position, and in a few more minutes got off that 



