A Dangerous Descent. 



covered with shale and frozen as hard as steel. I gave orders that 

 the path through the snow-cornice should be enlarged as much 

 as possible, and that the yaks should be assisted down by all 

 the men, of whom I had eight. This was done with the aid of 

 the tools we possessed, and the path widened slightly to the 

 commencement of the slope, which was frozen so firm that it 

 seemed impossible for any animal to maintain a footing. The 

 wind, now rising ominously, drove the mist across the summit, 

 confining the view to a matter of some fifty yards at the most, 

 and filling my party with the direst forebodings. The path 

 having been prepared I marshalled all hands, and with the object 

 of testing it sent an unladen yak ahead to prepare the way for 

 the others, and make as secure a hold in the treacherous surface 

 as could reasonably be expected. 



The laden animals were then passed down in succession, assisted 

 by everyone, some holding on to their tails, whilst others at the 

 lower side steadied their progress and prevented any sudden 

 precipitation down the slope. By the time this dangerous part 

 was successfully negotiated, it was 5 o'clock, and a dark misty 

 afternoon. Already the feeble light was rapidly waning, night 

 coming on apace as it ever does in the East, and I began to realise 

 nothing could get us to the foot of this inchne without disaster. 

 We were now on the eastern slope, where it became necessary 

 to proceed with the utmost caution, to save yaks and men from 

 an untimely descent to eternity. 



At times the mist would lift somewhat, revealing only that 

 sweeping slope going down it seemed to us to the bottom of the 

 earth. The surface was as slippery as glass, and I did not like 

 the outlook at all, as the ground was certainly the worst we had 

 been on, while the gathering gloom, foreteUing the approach of 

 darkness, rendered the task of getting the laden animals down a 

 well-nigh superhuman one. 



On reaching the summit I had scanned the whole valley to 

 the east but saw no sign of habitation, nor indeed any traces of 

 the Kirghiz encampment the guide had assured me existed just 



