MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



511 



snow, soon conducted us into a 

 hollow. The pain in my foot had 

 rot in the least abated, and I was 

 dragged along, holding by the 

 girdle of MakarofF. When we 

 were descending the precipice 

 the violence of the pain forced 

 me to sit down on the snow and 

 slide along. In doing this I 

 guided my course with the pole 

 to which the chisel was fixed, 

 which also served to diminish the 

 velocity of my motion where the 

 declivity was very abrupt. Con- 

 trary to our expectations the 

 storm did not arise, the clouds 

 dispersed, and all the surrounding 

 hills became perceptible. 



This did not, however, induce 

 'us to alter our determination, 

 and we still continued to ad- 

 vance. On reaching the hollow, 

 we discovered on the banks of a 

 little rivulet, two or three earthen 

 huts, but there was nobody within 

 them. We waded through the 

 water, and again ascended a hill, 

 which, however, had the advan- 

 tage of being covered with trees, 

 against which we frequentlj^ rest- 

 ed, and by which we were at the 

 same time concealed from obser- 

 vation. 



Having ascended to a consi- 

 derable height, we suddenly found 

 ourselves at the foot of a steep 

 rock, which we could not climb 

 without the greatest difficulty and 

 danger. I had nearly reached 

 the top of the rock, when I found 

 myself under the necessity of 

 loosening my hold of the girdle 

 of MakarofF, who otherwise, over- 

 burthened as he was, would not 

 have been able to have gained 

 the summit. I therefore placed 

 the toes of my sound foot firmly 

 against a stone, and throwing my 



right arm round a young tree, 

 which was so much bent down, 

 that it inclined almost to a hori- 

 zontal direction, I resolved to 

 wait until MakarofF should reach 

 the top, and be able to release 

 me from my perilous situation. 

 But powerful and vigorous as 

 MakarofF was, his great exertions 

 had so overcome him, that he no 

 sooner reached the summit, than 

 he fell to the ground almost in a 

 lifeless state. At this moment, 

 the stone against which I had 

 rested my foot detached itself 

 and rolled to the bottom of a 

 deep hollow which the rock over- 

 hung ; I was thus left hanging by 

 one hand, without the possibility 

 of obtaining any other support, 

 owing to the excessive smooth- 

 ness of the rock. 



The rest of the sailors were at 

 no great distance, but fatigue 

 rendered them unable to afford 

 me any assistance. MakarofFsti'l 

 lay stretched upon the ground, 

 and Mr. Chlebnikoff was labouring 

 to climb the rock at another point. 

 Having remained in this dreadful 

 situation for several minutes, my 

 hand began to smart severely, 

 and I v/as on the point of ending 

 my sufferings by precipitating 

 myself into thegulph, more than 

 a hundred fathoms beneath me — 

 when MakarofF, suddenly recover- 

 ing, beheld my situation, and 

 hastened to my assistance. He 

 rested his foot upon a stone which 

 projected from the rock under 

 my breast, and with one hand 

 grasped a branch of the tree. 

 With my hand which was free, T 

 then seized his girdle, and by a 

 great effort on his part, I was 

 drawn to the top of the rock. 

 We were no sooner both safe, 



than 



