Page:Hunting and trapping stories; a book for boys (IA huntingtrappings00pric).pdf/93

 ran after the little creature along a ledge. At the end of the ledge was what seemed to him a sheer precipice, and he was greatly surprised to see the chamois make its way across its face and escape. He examined the place closely, and admitted that it would have puzzled a mountaineer, armed with an alpine rope and ice-axe to scale the face. This was in the days when Hans was young, and inexperienced but the chamois have had lots of chances since then to surprise him even more.

The chamois seems to be able to stand almost any amount of cold and exposure, for it takes a winter or very terrible severity to drive it into the valleys for shelter; still this does occur once in a while.

When you visit Switzerland and see no chamois it is no proof that they are not there. To find the chamois you must go into the less frequented mountains before sunrise, and if you have good luck you may catch a glimpse of a band.

Chamois love their young ones very dearly and will never forsake them. On one occasion a hunter surprised a mother chamois with two kids. Away she flew at once with the two youngsters after her, but they came to a place in the rocks that had to be jumped. It was too wide for the kids, so the mother without waiting an instant, stooped down and allowed the little ones to scramble on to her back. Then she rose to her feet and sprang across the chasm and made off in safety.