ROPE- WORK. ( ; /v :,.:> 



far greater extent on circumstances than has hither- 

 to been allowed. Naturally the depth of the de- 

 scent and the nature of the cliff are factors, but the 

 most important is undoubtedly the ability and 

 endurance of the climber. If he knows his work, 

 and, when ascending, pulls strongly on the hand- 

 line, walking steadily upwards all the time in the 

 same horizontal position in which he descended, 

 the work of those on top is more than halved. 

 The greatest strain on all is when the cliff recedes 

 or is over-hanging, leaving the climber swinging 

 like a pendulum in mid-air. He can then no longer 

 walk upwards he cannot even touch the rock 

 but may still make the work of those on top much 

 lighter, and at a time when his help will be most 

 needed, by pulling himself, hand over hand, up the 

 hand-line; and if the haulers keep up a constant 

 strain on the body-rope, thus carrying part of his 

 weight and taking in the slack as he wins it, the 

 work is not quite so arduous as it sounds. 

 There is no doubt, however, that in theory and 

 in careful practice one man at the top is in- 

 sufficient, for even should he be fully capable of 

 hauling up the self-aided climber, the work is very 

 strenuous, and he may take cramp, or a hundred- 

 and-one emergencies may arise to render him un- 

 equal to the task; and, further, there should always 

 be a surplus of hauling power on the top, lest any 



