first observed, appeared to be approaching by
stealth--as if he intended to play the cowardly assassin, and butt the
other over the cliff! Indeed, this was his actual design, as was
discovered in the sequel; and had the other only remained for six
seconds longer in the attitude in which he had been first seen, his
assailant would no doubt have at once succeeded in his treacherous
intent.

We are sorry to have to say that he _did_ succeed--though not without a
struggle, and the risk of being himself compelled to take that desperate
leap which he had designed for his antagonist.

It was probably the voice of Caspar that hindered the immediate
execution of this wicked intention; though, alas! it only stayed it for
a short time. Caspar, on seeing the treacherous approach, had
involuntarily uttered a cry of warning. Though it could not have been
understood by the imperilled ibex, it had the effect of startling him
from his dreamy attitude, and causing him to look around. In that look
he perceived his danger, and quick as thought, took measures to avert
it. Suddenly raising himself on his hind-legs, and using them as a
pivot, he wheeled about, and then came to the ground on all fours, face
to face with his adversary. He showed no sign of any desire to retreat,
but seemed to accept the challenge as a matter of course. Indeed, from
his position, it would have been impossible for him to have retreated
with any chance of safety. The cliff upon which he had been standing,
was a sort of promontory projecting beyond the general line of the
precipice; and towards the mountain slope above his escape had been
already cut off by his challenger. On all other sides of him was the
beetling cliff. He had no alternative but fight, or be "knocked over."
It was less a matter of choice than necessity that determined him upon
standing his ground.

This determination he had just time to take, and just time to put
himself in an attitude of defence, when his antagonist charged towards
him. Both animals, at the same instant, uttered a fierce, snorting
sound, and rising upon their hind-legs, stood fronting each other like a
brace of bipeds. In this movement the spectators recognised the exact
mode of combat practised by common goats; for just in the same fashion
does the ibex exhibit his prowess. Instead of rushing _horizontally_,
head to head, and pressing each other backwards, as rams do in their
contests, the ibex after rearing al