MOUNTAIN SICKNESS. 87 



level trough between two high walls of mountains right and 

 left. Above Footstool Camp the ascent was through a 

 difficult ice-fall. Here, when we got into enclosed places, 

 with the sun hot on us, we felt altitude badly, when in 

 shady places less, and in general when the sun was hot on 

 us we always felt worse than when it was shut off by 

 clouds, rocks, or ice. There was as we ascended a steady 

 diminution in our powers, a desire to keep the arms from 

 hanging by our sides, a disinclination to start observing 

 instruments or doing anything. We had to breathe 

 steadily, the least holding of the breath (to observe an 

 instrument, or take a long stride), being instantly punished 

 by giddiness and puffing. The higher we got the more 

 conscious were we of our hearts — unable to sleep on our 

 left sides, tendency to palpitation even at night. Our 

 feet easily and rapidly got cold and lost sensation. By 

 night we were always more comfortable than by day, and in 

 cloudy than in fine weather. We could have done much 

 more by night if our feet had been able to hold out against 

 the cold. On the peak we felt much worse on slopes than 

 on the arete ; we had difficulty to restrain ourselves from 

 taking to the "cornice ". We often felt in hollow places 

 and even on slopes the sensation as though the air was 

 stagnant. The night at the highest camp after the ascent 

 of Pioneer Peak was our worst night ; palpitations constantly 

 woke me up. In the descent we felt discomfort (such as 

 was experienced in the ascent between Junction and Foot- 

 stool Camps) down to a much lower level, as far as Corner 

 Camp (13,000 feet), than we had felt in the ascent. We 

 seemed to become continuously less able to hold out against 

 altitude, the longer we remained at a high level. I several 

 times took my temperature, but never hit it at anything but 

 normal. I did not take it on Pioneer Peak. I have said 

 that I thought our appetites remained as usual. I think 

 that I was in error. We did not eat so much at the two 

 highest camps, but we should have eaten more than we did 

 if we had had more to eat. I can't say how, in that case, 

 we should have been affected. 



