chap, x THE TRIDENT 145 



fact was brought to my notice by the day's experience. It 

 would have been supposed, considering the number of 

 generations there have been of sewing humanity, that sewing 

 tackle would be as nigh perfect as possible. Yet apparently 

 it has been left to rne to discover that the head of an ice- 

 axe is far superior to any thimble for the purposes to which 

 thimbles are devoted. Sewing at the luckiest is a dangerous 

 employment, and should be so scheduled. Every hus'if 

 ought to contain sticking-plaister. Mine does, and this day 

 it was largely employed, and very useful. 



Before midnight the sun shone brightly, but there was 

 no warmth in his beams. At the same altitude above the 

 horizon in India his rays would be hot enough to give a 

 sunstroke. His spare efficiency might be better distributed. 

 After midnight I was free to wander forth, and use the 

 renewed clearness for survey purposes. My way was up 

 the main valley across the lower slopes. It was delightful 

 to find a mile of fairly hard ground on which one could 

 stride freely, and feel the joy of visible advance, instead of 

 creeping painfully from step to step. The Trident's jutting 

 bluff aloft showed some boldness of front, and thrust steep- 

 seeming crags into the sky. The cool temperature and 

 breezy air, which made work in camp so unpleasant, were 

 exactly right for exercise ; blood coursed bravely through 

 the veins, and activity brought joy to the mind as well as 

 comfort to the body. A mile or so along, near the mouth 

 of the next small side valley, Garwood came up with pockets 

 full of fossils, gathered in the second small side valley, where 

 he and Trevor-Battye had seen two shy reindeer, which they 

 failed to secure. Trevor-Battye went on to Turnback Valley, 

 and came into camp later, when supper was cooking, and 

 the tents were set in order for sleep. 



His observations led him to conclude that, in the matter 

 of birds, there was no new work to be done in the interior, 



