104 HIGH SOLITUDES 



miles from the plains of India now, and in about 

 as desolate a region as the world contains. Then, 

 bearing westward, we make for the Aghil Pass. 

 We have now got right in behind the Himalaya, 

 and as we reach the top of the Aghil Pass we look 

 towards the Himalaya from the Central Asian side, 

 on what is known as the Karakoram Range, and 

 here at last is the remote, secluded glacier region 

 which has been the object of our search. 



Its glory bursts upon us as we top the last rise 

 to the Aghil Pass. Across the deep valley is 

 arrayed in bold and jagged outline a series of pin- 

 nacles of ice glistening in the brilliant sunshine, 

 showing up in clearest definition against the intense 

 blue sky, and rising abruptly and incredibly high 

 above the rock-bound Oprang River. They are 

 the mighty peaks which group around K 2 — the 

 noblest cluster in the whole Himalaya. 



There are here no inviting grassy slopes and no 

 enticing forests. The mountain-sides are all hard 

 rock and rugged precipices. And the summits are 

 of ice or with edges sharp and keen direct from 

 Nature's workshop. But the sight, though it awes 

 us, does not depress us or deter us. We are keyed 

 up by high anticipation when we arrive on the 

 threshold of this secluded region, and a fierce joy 

 seizes us as we first set eyes on these mountains. 

 We know we have before us one of the great sights 

 of the world — something unique and apart, some- 

 thing the like of which we shall never see again. 

 And awed as we are by the mountains' unsurpassed 

 magnificence, we do not bow down in any abject 

 way before them. We are not impressed by our 



