330 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



this wall of vapor were congealed into ice- 

 crystals, which glittered like gold in the sun- 

 light and gave back all the colors of the rain- 

 bow. 



When all the party were once more assem- 

 bled at the base of the peak, Jacob, whose 

 resources never failed, served to each one a 

 little wine, and they rested on the snow before 

 beginning their perilous descent. Of living 

 things they saw only a hawk, poised in the 

 air above their heads ; of plants, a few li- 

 chens, where the surface of the rock was ex- 

 posed. It was four o'clock in the afternoon 

 before they started on their downward path, 

 turning their faces to the icy slope, and feel- 

 ing for the steps behind them, some seven 

 hundred in all, which had been cut in ascend- 

 ing. In about an hour they reached the 

 Col of the Roththal, where the greatest diffi- 

 culties of the ascent had begun and the 

 greatest dangers of the descent were over. 

 So elated were they by the success of the day, 

 and so regardless of lesser perils after those 

 they had passed through, that they were now 

 inclined to hurry forward incautiously. Ja- 

 cob, prudent when others were rash, as he 

 was bold when others were intimidated, con- 

 stantly called them to order with his : " Hub- 



