AN AIRY BEDROOM 273 



So I went to Anparli's fire and spent some time turning 

 him inside out on the manners and customs of his family 

 and people. I was soon tired of this, for the juniper 

 smoke almost blinded me and also made my head ache. 



My bedroom was certainly open and airy enough : the 

 vault of heaven was the roof, and a level spot on the hill- 

 side the floor. I tucked myself in comfortably, spread 

 the waterproof sheet over all, and made Yakiib secure it 

 all round with heavy stones. The wind had died away, 

 the clouds had disappeared, and the stars were brilliantly 

 shining. But a look at the thermometer at 6 p.m. had 

 told me that the temperature then was 30°. Everything 

 round me was freezing fast and hard ; the tinkle of the 

 rill of water from the snow-bank above, flowing a few feet 

 from my bed, was fast growing fainter, till at last it ceased. 

 I could not sleep ; in my anxiety to ward off cold, I had 

 made myself too warm, and I had difficulty in breathing. 

 I imagined I could hear things freezing round me. The 

 waterproof over me was coated with the hoar-frost which, 

 in the lovely moonlight, I watched spreading over the grass 

 by me. The grim peak, 21,000 feet high, just overhead 

 caught my eye every time I peeped out. So much for 

 sleeping out in the open at 17,000 feet above sea level. 



I was up at 5 a.m., as I heard Yakiib at the fire ; he was 

 busy thawing his shoes, which he had left out, and which 

 were frozen as hard as boards. He seemed impressed, but 

 said that he had passed a good night, though at first he 

 felt too warm and was suffocating. Everything was frozen, 

 and ice had to be melted to make the tea. I soon made up 

 my mind that I had had enough of it. My own suffering 

 and inconvenience were severe enough, but it was ten times 

 worse for those with me ; and as there was no sport to 

 compensate, we should be much better down below, I 

 explained this to the men, had the things packed and 

 18 



