264 EXPEDITION TO THE TYROL. 



were, and what our purpose was they appeared even grati- 

 fied to have us among them, and there was quite a squabble 

 as to our accommodation during our stay. At length, how- 

 ever, Karl Spiegle, the king-hunter of the village, who 

 had the largest house, secured our company. That evening, 

 we ate a Tyrolese supper of hard-boiled eggs and harder 

 baked rye bread. 



The next day was the Sabbath. We found that the 

 Tyrolese celebrate that day by eating, drinking and laugh- 

 ing as much as possible. In the afternoon, the men had 

 a trial of skill in shooting at a target. Such rifles ! I 

 thought my own was about as heavy a shooting-iron as an 

 active hunter would wish to carry during a day's hunt ; 

 but the short, thick rifles of the Tyrolese were of nearly 

 double the weight. As they were about to crown the 

 victor, Karl Spiegle, with flowers, I requested to try my 

 skill against him ; and in three shots, at a greater distance 

 than his rifle would carry, I established my superiority. 

 My shooting-iron was then considered a remarkable piece 

 of ordnance ; for it was deemed by the villagers impossible 

 that their most skilful hunter should oe a worse snot than 

 a stranger among the Alps. Karl himself laughed at the 

 idea of my being the real victor ; but cheerfully gave me 

 the crown of flowers. 



As we were sitting in Spiegle's door, looking at a merry 

 group in front of the house, two herd-boys came in from 



