136 SURVEY OF THE SNOWDON REGION CHAP, v 



passed on to the top, often standing to discuss, and 

 just as we got to the bottom of the peak descried our 

 party coming down. We stayed nearly an hour up, 

 and then followed. Forbes was making a bad sketch 

 where the path turns down to Pen y gwryd ; Sir H. 

 and Gibbs fossilising. 



1 2otk. Gibbs and I started at half- past nine up 

 Snowdon. Went down to the copper mine at Llyn-du- 

 r'Arddu. We climbed up the face of the cliff there, 

 just by the great fault a fearful place. It was frozen 

 over in many places with ice and snow. It took us a 

 whole hour to climb it, and we were frequently obliged 

 to stop when in a secure position to beat our hands 

 to warm them. We had often to cut steps in the rock 

 and ice. Gibbs never for a moment lost his coolness, 

 but I got a little nervous for two or three minutes. 

 Once up half-way it was impossible to return ; we 

 were obliged to go up. Had a foot or hand given 

 way one or both of us would have been smashed. 

 Parted on the other side of the ridge. I walked 

 across Snowdon to Beddgelert. The top was covered 

 with snow ; fine view. Got to Beddgelert by six, just 

 before Selwyn's dinner. 



* 2nd November. Out on the ridge on the north-east 

 end of Crib goch. Sometimes misty, but on the whole 

 a good day. Finished all that side as far up as the 

 upper end of the Pass, and to the brook that runs from 

 Llyn Llydaw. Excellent day's work, especially as it 

 fairly finished all that side of the Pass. 



' 15^. Up the Pass and up Glyder by the new 

 path I discovered yesterday opposite Pont y grom- 

 lech. This mountain begins to be as familiar to me 

 as Charing Cross, and shows evident symptoms of at 

 length beginning to be licked into geological shape. 



