Year: 1869

gave way, lay myself down on my stom-
ach. Presently [ came to place that
made my hair stand on end, for as I crawl
ed along. the whole ridge awayed under
me, and I saw underneath a great hole
through it, as big as a gateway, over
which the ridge that was cracking and
swaying under me, sprang like narrow
bridge. At this instant l heard low
whistle in front of me. and looking up
saw an old gams- buck standing, who stuck
bis forefoot into his mouth and gave an
other loud whistle to call all the gamsen
together, then looked at me in very con-
temptuous fashion, and bleated frightful-
ly."


"Bleated ?" asked the Dresdener in
astonishment. ''Do the chamois- bucks
bleat, then?"


'tAll bucks bleat," replied the hunter
calmly, and continued.


80 the buck stamped with his foot
and bleated frightfully. I knew at once
what that meant. and laid myself fiat up
on my stomach. just in time, for the brute
lowered his horns and drove right at me.
with the whole herd after him; for the
things saw that I had them in bag. and
were bound to get over the ridge happen
what might. And now the whole chase
drove right over my back, so that sight
and hearing failed me. I brought my
rifle forward in hopes at least to get shot
at one of them. when one of the brutes
catches his horns in the strap and carries
my piece away with him. and at the same
moment the brid ge under me sways fright
fully apd at last breaks down, just as the
last gains was over. In my desperation
[ gave myself tremendous shove for
ward, and succeeded in clutching the firm
rock, at the very moment that the whole
thing fell crashing down together; and
there was I, perched upon corner of the
wall. My retreat over the ridge was en-
tirely cut off, for there was no possible
way Of getting across the chasm. sat
down to rest awhile and to consider how
upon earth I should get down from the
wall. The only possible way seemed to
be upon the south side, where the rock
was rot precisely perpendicular, but still
descended smooth as wall for about a
Thousand feet Here I noticed number
of cracks and little bushes which would
.sprobahly give ne teaa ..sa there aas
"a projecting crag with an eagles nest on
lit, around which the eagles. which had
caught sight Of me, were flying with loud
screams.


Il made the attempt to Chamber down,
but found it impossible. as I could get no
footing, and had to scramble back again.
This I did with considerable difficulty, as
the seat of my breeches stuck fast to the
rock. Coming to examine the cause of
this, I found that the pitch torch which
stuck out of my pocket, was sticking to
the stone, which was heated by the sun.


''That moment thought struck me-
I had been thinking of cutting my hands
and feet. to make them sticky enough
with the blood to take hold-of the rock
dodge that Schiller mentions. by the
way-but I thought: Hold on! Pitch
sticks faster than blood-and so I went to
work at once. I pulled off my shoes and
threw them down into the valley; and
then I plastered my hands. the soles of
my feet, and the seat of my leather
breeches. with the pitch. Now T began
to work my way down with my back a.
gainst the wall, in this way first [
reached down with my feet as far as |
could, and stamped them hard against the
rock until they stuck fast then I slid my
back down as near my feet as I could
bring it, and stuck my breeches fast: and
then I clapped my hands against the wall
until they held; after which | pulled my
feet loose, stretched them further down.
and went through the same manoeuvre a.
gain. 1t was an awful job. seemed to
myself like fly that has been in honey
pot. and drags himself along wall; and
I left long black streak down the rock
which can be seen to this very day, from
which they call it the Pechwand, and me
Pechnazi. Ia. ~.


II had crawled down in this way until
[ was about hundred feet above the
eagles nest, when found that the pitch
began to let go, and could hardly be made
to hold. just here the wall was smooth
as glass. and the eagles flew around my
head until the wind from their wings al
most blew me away i still contrived to
work down about fifty feet more, when all
at once [ broke loose, and crack there
I was sitting in the eagles nest, while the
sticks of it flew in all directions, and the
whole crag shook. I felt furious biting
and scratching as if [ had fallen on pile
of fish hooks; for I had pumped down
upon eight young eagles. and was mash
ing them to a jam. While the young
brutes were biting and scratching me be-
low, the old eagles were battering my
head with their wings, and tearing my
hair out by beaksfull. grew desperate.
ierked club out of the nest and banged
about until the feathers few again, but it
did no good. At last I made grab and
caught an eagle by the leg with each
hand, and now there began a fight to
which the other was nothing. But I kept
a firm hold, when on sudden the old
nest broke loose, and we all came down
together. If I had not bad the two birds
by the legs, should certainly have brok'
en- my neck. But as it was, the two birds
p, tapped with all their might, and served