The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-30
Chamois Stories.

A writer in the London Graphic, says
That chamois are capable of passing places
that even cat would hesitate at is we'll
known to every one who has wandered
much among the high Alps. A few months
ago I was in the wild and desolate region
of Piz Vadred, where it overhangs the
great Grialetsch Glacier, in the Canton des
Grisons. From this glacier | traced cham
ois tracks, high up over some very steep
snow slopes, to where the slopes ended at
an absolutely vertical wall of rock. This
wall projected like buttress, and was pro-
bably fifty or sixty feet broad, and four
hundred feet to its base, while all above
was nothing but overhanging cliffs On
the other side of the buttress the snow slope
was continued, and here the tracks recon-
menced on a level with the other ones
How had the chamois passed that wall ?
That they had passed it was certain. If
it was by leap it must have been terri
fc one, and in their fight they would have
had to describe a horizontal curve like a
bow. The more likely explanation is they
fonnd cracks in the face of the rock for
their wonderful feet, though even with the
aid of good field glass | was unable
to detect the presence Of the slightest
est ledge in the precipice at that spot. In
spite oftheir surefootedness, however, these
animals do sometimes come to grief. Mr.
Whymper, in his "Ascent of the Matter
horn" relates how he found channels in
the neighborhood of the Stockje, at the
head of the Zmutt Glacier. The animal
had slipped on the upper rocks, rolled over
and over, down slope of debris without
being able to regain its feet; and its horns
catching in notch in the rock, it was un-
able to free itself, and had starved to death.
Recently | met hunter with chamois
of forty pounds over his back, toiling pain
fully down the lower slopes of the Aiguille
Vert near Chamounix He had been on
the mountain for two days, the result being
the one animal, which he had only recov-
cred with great difficulty, after he had
shot it, as it had fallen over the preci-
pice. This is a common occurrence, but
it is seldom hunter will leave his quarry
behind him. Three years ago some Ger
mans mountaineering in the Bernese 0ber-
land found the decomposed body of cham
ois resting on ledge of rock about fifty
feet below them;and few moments later they
were Mortified to observe the body Of man
on grass slope several hundred feet lower
down. By making detour they managed
to reach the spot. The poor fellow was
lying on his back, his gun barrel bent dou-
Bile, and the stock smashed to splinters.
His body was terribly mutilated, and the
face was decomposed beyond all recogni-
ton His bony hand still grasped the lock
of his gun. The position he was lying in,
and the chamois up above, told their own
story. He had shot the chamois 1t had
rolled over on to the ledge, and in endeav-
oring to recover it he had lost his footing
and must have been lying for many weeks
where he was found.
If once the sentinel buck of herd of
chamois catches sight of man, all hope of
coming up with them that day is at an end.
Under sucn circumstances a hunter will
often follow the tracks over snow and ice
all day, pass the night in the shelter of
some rock, take up the trail again on the
following morning when possibly his pa
tience and perseverance, may be rewarded.
The chamois generally keep in herds of
from six to twelve heads, rarely more. One
of the number is always in advance, and
another one some little distance in the rear.
These are the advanced and rear guards.
Occasionally they stop, sniff the air, and
scan the mountains, and at the slightest in
dication of danger they give the signal, and
the whole lot go bounding away as if they
had been caught up by a whirlwind. If
they happen to be on glacier or snow-feld
when startled, they almost invariably make
for the rocks. This is probably the result
of some instinct which teaches them that
their tawny color renders them less liable
to be seen amongst the dark rocks than on
the snow.