312 Ascent of the Jungfrau in 1841. 
commanded on all sides by mighty peaks, the highest of which 
was the Jungfrau. Jacob made us halt here a second time, 
no doubt for the purpose of reconnoitring the ground. With 
regard to ourselves, we saw nothing but insurmountable diffi- 
culties on all sides—on the right, vertical precipices ; on the 
left, masses of ice, which threatened to crush us by their fall ; 
and in front, the great fissure, to all appearance impassable, 
so widely did it yawn. I could not avoid asking Jacob in 
what direction we were to ascend ; but he refused to answer 
my question, contenting himself with saying, that we had only 
to follow him with all confidence, and that, for himself, he 
already saw the road we should take. I afterwards saw that 
he had good reason for eluding my question, for it is very 
likely we would never have arrived at the summit if every 
one of the company had given his opinion in the difficult parts 
of our passage. 
After resting for an instant, we again resumed our route. 
It was now near mid-day; the heat was excessive, and the 
guides, in order to refresh themselves, placed handfuls of snow 
on the nape of their necks. Many of us did the same, in spite 
of the remonstrances of others, who, alarmed at such impru- 
dence, forgot that in these elevated regions the material or- 
ganism, as well as the moral nature, is much more indepen- 
dent of hurtful influences than in the plain. The reflection 
of the light from the snow was likewise most intense, and al- 
most insupportable. In such circumstances one can scarcely 
do without a veil; but it has the great inconvenience of ren- 
dering one’s steps less secure, and considerably increasing the 
heat of the face, by preventing the fresh air reaching it. On 
these accounts, Agassiz preferred running the risk of having 
his face broiled rather than use one. We proceeded straight 
in the direction of the great fissure, which we reached after 
surmounting a fourth terrace. It is a gulf of unknown depth, 
opening upon the declivity of the last terrace but one, and 
penetrating somewhat obliquely into the snow; in no place is 
its breadth less than 10 feet, so that there is no means of cross- 
ing it without a ladder. Before going to the other side, we 
went to examine the debris of a fallen mass, which were lying 
on our left, and which seemed to have been detached a short 
