EXPEDITION TO THE TYROL. 266 



higher mountain pastures. They immediately came up to 

 Spiegle, and informed him that they had seen three chamois 

 that morning. Mr. Barrill then bribed the boys to keep 

 the secret until noon the next day, and made arrangements 

 with our host to start up the mountain on a hunt, at day- 

 light, the next morning. Spiegle hummed and hawed a 

 great deal at the idea of three hunters going in company, 

 inasmuch as chamois hunting required the utmost quiet 

 and caution. However, when we promised to comply pre- 

 cisely with his directions and to compensate him for any 

 loss he might sustain, he agreed to our arrangements. 



The next morning, I was up while it was yet dark. 

 After dressing myself, I gave Mr. Barrill a waking nudge, 

 and hurried out to perform my ablutions in the cold and 

 sparkling stream. The dawn was very beautiful. The pine 

 woods were wrapt in the richest purple. Here and there, 

 a feint illumined mist marked the course of a mountain 

 brook through the forest. The gray cliffs stood dark and 

 silent on the opposite side of the stream, and one distant 

 snow-peak, just tinted with the purple of dawn, gleamed 

 sublimely, as a pinnacle of the clouds. Within a half an 

 hour, we were equipped. Spiegle carried his short, heavy 

 rifle, but we were determined to try our skill with our 

 own guns. Our shoes were shod with iron in such a 

 manner that each step upon snow or ice was well secured 

 and besides, each of us carried a staff, armed with a short 



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