44 IBEX SHOOTING 



just an inch at first, then quicker ; and in 

 a second the whole mass was fairly under 

 way smoothly and almost silently at 

 first, and then, as if tired of such a de- 

 corous proceeding, it suddenly broke up 

 with loud, sharp reports, and foaming back 

 from the sides of the narrowing gorge, tore 

 along with a bass deafening roar, in which 

 the voice of the huge rocks, rolling along 

 under the snow, was still audible. On went 

 the river of snow, getting deeper and deeper 

 as its bed grew narrower, and finally fell 

 like Niagara into the valley below, while 

 behind it came the usual following of rocks 

 and stones, which seemed not to have made 

 up their minds to go till too late, and to be 

 hurrying now to catch up ; while from all 

 sides came the echoes, giving a jumbled 

 second edition. 



I looked at Lassoo, who pointed up to 

 where we had been waiting, watching the 

 ibex the whole day, and with his finger 

 traced where our track across that very 

 valley had been, and which now was not, 



