of 



below my level. They submerged the low places 

 in the plateau, and torn, silver-gray masses of 

 mists surrounded crags and headlands. The 

 sunset promised to be wonderful, but suddenly 

 the mists came surging past my feet and threat- 

 ened to shut out the view. Hurriedly climbing 

 a promontory, I watched from it a many-colored 

 sunset change and fade over mist-wreathed 

 spires, and swelling, peak-torn seas. But the 

 cloud-masses were rising, and suddenly points 

 and peaks began to settle out of sight; then a 

 dash of frosty mists, and my promontory sank 

 into the sea. The light vanished from the 

 heights, and I was caught in dense, frosty 

 clouds and winter snows without a star. 



I had left my skees at the foot of the promon- 

 tory, and had climbed up by fingers and toes 

 over the rocks without great difficulty. But on 

 starting to return I could see only a few inches 

 into the frosty, sheep's-wool clouds, and quickly 

 found that trying to get down would be a peril- 

 ous pastime. The side of the promontory stood 

 over the steep walls of the plateau, and, not car- 

 ing to be tumbled overboard by a slip, I con- 



4 



