in ASCENT OF SNEEHATTEN 45 



long easy trot, pulled up on the top of a snowy knoll, 

 and turned round, taking a quiet survey of my party. 

 This was almost too much for me ; the temptation was 

 strong to return, procure a rifle at any trouble, and, no 

 matter what time or trouble it cost me, get that 

 glorious head to hang in my room, so that when a lazy 

 old beggar, not caring to go anywhere, I might quietly, 

 from my bed, where I should be dozing with the 

 sun streaming in on my weatherbeaten * phiz ' at ten 

 o'clock A.M., feast my eyes on such a satisfactory 

 souvenir of one of the most delightful expeditions it 

 ever came to my privilege to go through ; but it was 

 no use, I knew. First of all, the utter impossibility of 

 getting a rifle ; and, secondly, the enormous difficulty 

 of getting near these icy monarchs. They will some- 

 times trot 50 miles away when disturbed, and any one 

 who has travelled in Norway knows what that means. 

 So on we went, and at last, after traversing large un- 

 broken fields of snow and scrambling still on the 

 ponies over rocks big and small, all lying in heapless 

 confusion, we reached the place where the animals were 

 to be left It was under a large rock, the only one 

 visible of any size for miles round ; all the rest were 

 covered or all but covered with snow. Here I took a 

 small pull at the brandy and black bread, my guide 

 who was to accompany me a big one. I did not as yet 

 feel the cold much. We then started 1.30 o'clock. 

 Now the walking was not so bad ; our way leading us 

 through long tracts of snow. Then the real climbing 

 be^n ; it was not very steep, but every step you went 

 you ran the no slight risk of spraining or breaking your 

 ankle. I never saw snow in such a bad state ; it was 

 very deep and very soft, sometimes letting us down to 

 our waists, sometimes to our ankles among nasty 

 jagged rocks under it. We had about one and a half 



