A Nasty Descent and a Jambed Rope 423 
found to my surprise Farquhar. He told me that having seen the 
last join (at about 160 ft.) through the hands of the lowering 
party, he had come down to bear a hand. I was very glad that 
he had done so for, in addition to having his moral support, he 
served as a very necessary connecting link between me and _ the 
lowering party and further was able to see how my ropes lay 
and give them a fair lead when they required it. Leaving him 
to tend the ropes over the last cliff I descended again to the 
“artichoke” and dropped over the edge. Att first the rock, although 
nearly vertical, gave me some handhold, 30 ft. below was a very 
small rocky bluff with some herbage on it, upon reaching which 
I signalled “Hold hard” and looked over. What I saw was 
encouraging for about 100 ft. below me I espied the outer edge of 
the terrace whence we had vainly endeavoured to reach the nest 
from below, and I could even identify the spot opposite where we 
had striven to climb up. The cliff overhung a little and it was 
quite clear the nest was not more than 50 ft. immediately 
below me. 
Leading my line over a smooth part of the rock and signalling 
‘ Lower-away,” down I went. As I descended I grabbed at the 
rocks to steady myself, but they were covered with great masses 
of brilliant green saxifrage coated with half-melted snow which 
came away in my half-frozen hands like big sponges, whilst icicles 
hung from every projecting crag and added to my discomfort. 
In all such descents the great art, when once the cragsman 
has decided on action and the die is cast, is to get over the 
awkward spots as soon as possible. I had impressed this on my 
party before starting down. I went down, my rope running out 
merrily, far too merrily to please me, owing to the want of skill of 
my lowering party, which was of course beyond the control of 
Farquhar at his precarious half-way house. Suddenly the rope 
checked and I was brought up with a jerk that sent me swinging 
