68 SHORT STALKS 



righted myself we were far down the slope, slithering away 

 stil], the centre of a great wave of snow. As soon as I 

 could get my head up, I counted the heads of my com- 

 panions, and, to my horror, there were only four of us. 

 However, the suspense was not of long duration, for, 

 looking back, the face of the missing member presently 

 appeared, looking benignly down on us from the edge 

 of the hi'iy - scliriimJ. Our impetus had carried us 

 over it, but he had stopped himself against me and 

 dropped straight into the chasm, which was fortunately 

 choked nearly to the brim with snow that had preceded 

 us. The height of the drop was some five -and -twenty 

 feet, and the rope was broken in several places, but 

 happily the pulpy condition of the snow prevented further 

 mischief, except a few abrasions and black eyes. 



()ne of my expeditions was spoiled l:)y an incident 

 which, though not so serious, was scarcely less annoying. 

 1 had handed my single Henry rifle to a group of peasants 

 in a loirth^haus who were anxious to examine it. Somehow 

 or other they must have loosened the screw which retains 

 the striker in its place. The next stalk I had I made a 

 beautiful approach, got within fifty yards (jf the wholly 

 unconscious herd, and, as I pushed the rifle forwards for 

 the shot, I noticed a Ijlank hole where the striker should 

 be. Carefully withdrawing myself, for an hour I searched 

 the ground I had passed over, l)ut in vain. I was 

 obliged to retire leaving the chamois undisturbed. I had 

 brought with me a spare striker which Andreas, another of 

 my hunters, who is a l^lacksmith l)y trade, as well as a 

 most skilful and patient stalker, spent the next day at the 

 local forge in iugeniously fitting into the place. Unfor- 



