280 ADVENTURES OF CHAMOIS HUNTERS. 



That evening we were feasted as far as Tyrolese hos- 

 pitality could go. Several hunters came to spend a 

 short time with us, and chat about their adventures. In 

 return for what Mr. Barrill communicated of our hunting 

 experience, they told us of a number of "hair breadth 

 'scapes." A young and handsome hunter, who was called 

 Joseph, told a singular story of the cunning of the chamois. 



The previous year, Joseph had found a geis, or female 

 chamois, ready to bring forth. For eight days, he followed 

 her to see where she would deposit her young. Some- 

 times he took off his shoes, and climbed with his bare feet, 

 like a cat ; and once, when he had to climb up the steep 

 face of a rock, he cut off all the buttons from his clothes, 

 that they might not make a jingle. At length, he dis- 

 covered two young chamois in what the hunters call a 

 kath, or niche, in the high rock. The little ones were 

 sporting round the mother, who glanced from time to time 

 down into the valley, to watch for any hostile approach. 

 To avoid being seen, Joseph made an extensive circuit, 

 and thus reached the path that led to the kath. Exactly 

 in front of the niche, the rock descended perpendicularly 

 to an immense depth. In the rear was another deep de- 

 scent. Some fragments of rock formed a kind of bridge 

 between the large masses. But these were placed too 

 high to be accessible to the little ones, and could only be 

 available to their mother. 



