THE RETURN. 187 



go further, for had we done so, in all probability 

 none of us would have returned to tell the tale. 

 For several hours the mists and vapours continued 

 so thick that we could scarcely see thirty yards 

 before us, besides which we often found drifts of 

 freshly-fallen snow so deep and soft that we had to 

 proceed with the utmost caution, feeling every foot 

 of the way with our iron-shod poles, lest we should 

 fall into some abyss. Again, owing to our slow 

 progress, we suffered very considerably from the 

 intense cold, our limbs getting so benumbed and 

 stiff that walking became heart-breaking work — 

 still we kept on, for delay was dangerous. Towards 

 evening the fog began to clear away, revealing a 

 patch of deep blue sky, which gradually increased 

 in size, until the whole western horizon became 

 clear, and a flood of golden light broke through 

 the gloom, illuminating the whole valley. This 

 was cheering, but we had still far to go before we 

 could rest our aching' limbs, and we anxiously 

 watched the great orb of day sink behind the 

 western hills, gilding the faces of the higher peaks 

 with his lingering glory, and bringing them out in 



