The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-03-05
CHANIOIS.


That chamois are capable of passing
places that even a cat would hesitate
at Is well known to every one who has
wandered much among the high Alps
A few months ago ! was in the wild and
desolate region of Piz Fadred, where it
overhangs the great Grialetsch Glacier,
In the Canton des Grisons. From this
glacier | traced chamois-tracks, high
up over some very steep snow slopes, to
where the slopes ended, at an absolute
ly vertical wall of rock. This wall pro-
lected like buttress, and was proba-
bly, fifty or sixty feet broad, and 400
feet to its base. while all above was
nothing but overhanging cliffs. On .he
other side Of the buttress the snow-slope
was continued, and here the tracks
recommended exactly on level with
the other ones. How had the chamois
passed that wall? That they had pass
ed it was certain. If it was by leap
1t must have been terrific one, and in
their flight they would have had to de-
scribe horizontal curve like a bow
The more likely explanation is they
found cracks in the face of the rock,
for their wonderful feet, though even
with the aid of a good tield-glass l was
unable to detect the presence of the
slightest ledge in the precipice at that
spot. In spite of their surefootedness,
however, these animals do sometimes
come to grief. Mr.. Whymper, in his
'Ascent of the Matterhorn, relates
how he found chamois in the neigh
borhood of the Stockje, at the head of
the Zmutt Glacier. The animal had
slipped on the upper rocks, rolled over
and over, down a slope of debris, with
out being able to regain its feet; and,
its horns catching in notch in the
rock, it was unable to free itself, and
had starved to death.
Recently met hunter with a cha
mois OF forty pounds over his back,
tolllng painfully down the lower slopes
OF the Aiguille Vert, near Chamounix.
tie had been on the mountain for two
days, the result being the one animal,
which he had only recovered with great
difficulty after he had shot it, as it had
fallen over the precipice. This is a
common occurrence, but it is seldom
hunter will leave his quarry behind
him. Three years ago some Germans
mountaineering in the Bernese Ober-
land found the decomposed body of
chamois resting on a ledge of rock
about fifty feet below them; and few
moments later they were Mortified to
observe the body of a 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
double, and the stock smashed to splin-
ters. His body was terribly mutilated,
and the face was decomposed beyond
all recognition. His bony hand still
grasped the lock of his gun. The posi-
ton 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 endeavor-
ing 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
hUPO of coming up with thona that day
is at an end. Under such circumstan-
ces 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 patience and
perseverance may be rewarded.
One of the number is always in ad-
vance, and another one some little dis
tance in the rear. These are the ad-
vance and rear guards. Occasionally
they stop, sniff the air, and scan the
mountains, and at the slightest indica-
ton of danger they give the signal and
the whole lot 60 bounding away as if
they had been caught up by a whirl-
wind. If they happen 10 be on gla-
cier or snow-tieid when startled they
almost invariably make for the rocks.
This is probably the result of some in
sUinct which teaches them that their
tawny color renders them less liable to
be seen amongst the dark rocks than
on the snow.-LOndon Graphic.