130 THE FIRST CAMP. 



sledge was lightly laden with a small canvas tent, two 

 buffalo-skins for bedding, a cooking-lamp, and provis- 

 ions for eight days. Our personal equipment needs 

 but a brief description. An extra pair of fur stock- 

 ings, a tin cup, and an iron spoon, per man, was the 

 whole of it. 



Our lirst camp was made at the foot of the glacier. 

 The first camp of a journey anywhere in the world 

 is usually uncomfortable enough, notwithstanding it 

 may perhaps have its bright side ; but this one, to my 

 little party, did not appear to have any bright side at 

 all. The temperature was — 11°, and we had no 

 other fire than what was needed in our furnace- 

 lamp for cooking our hash and coffee. I believe no 

 one slept. Our tent was pitched, of necessity, on a 

 sloping hill-side, and on the smoothest bed of stones 

 that we could find. We turned out in the moonlight 

 and went to work. 



The next journey carried us to the top of the gla- 

 cier, and it was a very serious day's business. I have 

 already described, in the last chapter, the rugged char- 

 acter of the gorge through which we were obliged to 

 travel, in order to reach a point where we could scale 

 the glacier. The laden sledge could not be dragged 

 over the rocks and blocks of ice, and the men were 

 therefore compelled to carry our equipments, piece by 

 piece, on their shoulders. Reaching the spot where, 

 with Mr. Sonntag, I had before made an ascent, we 

 prepared to hoist the sledge. 



The scenery was here quite picturesque. We were 

 standing in a little triangular valley, with a lake in 

 its centre. At our left rose the great glacier, and 

 at our right a small stream of ice poured through 

 a deep gorge. Before us stood a massive pillar of 



