A CAMP ON THE MOUNTAIN 51 



same hard work, and the same trouble to keep the dogs 

 at an even pace, and then we were up under the ridge 

 amongst the open chasms. To go farther without a 

 careful examination of the ground was not to be thought 

 of. Doubtless, our day's march had not been a par- 

 ticularly long one, but the piece we had covered had 

 indeed been fatiguing enough. We therefore camped, 

 and set our tent at an altitude of 5,650 feet above 



the sea. 



We at once proceeded to reconnoitre, and the first 

 thing to be examined was the way we had seen from 

 below. This led in the right direction— that is, in the 

 direction of the glacier, east and west — and was thus 

 the shortest. But it is not always the shortest way that 

 is the best; here, in any case, it was to be hoped that 

 another and longer one would offer better conditions. 

 The shortest way was awful— possibly not altogether 

 impracticable, if no better was to be found. First we had 

 to work our way across a hard, smooth slope, which formed 

 an angle of 45 degrees, and ended in a huge, bottomless 

 chasm. It was no great pleasure to cross over here on 

 ski, but with heavily-laden sledges the enjoyment would 

 be still less. The prospect of seeing sledge, driver, and 

 dogs slide down sideways and disappear into the abyss 

 was a great one. We got across with whole skins on 

 ski, and continued our exploration. The mountain-side 

 along which we were advancing gradually narrowed 

 between vast fissures above and vaster fissures below. 



