SECOND CHAPTER 

 IN THE GOAT AND GLACIER FIELDS 



' I V HE following morning we started at 10:30 

 ■*■ in a drizzle, which later cleared. We were 

 especially fortunate that clear skies welcomed 

 us on the latter part of the day's ride, as some 

 beautiful scenery opened up, including water- 

 falls, gorgeous hills and sublime snowcapped 

 summits. The grandeur almost repaid for the 

 near-dousing we received that day while cross- 

 ing back over the Nizina. It seems the packs 

 were in some unaccountable way divided (some- 

 thing which should be avoided, if possible); 

 at any rate, we saw Shorty, Wooden and others 

 with a contingent of packs crossing below us, 

 and the manner in which the riders leaned down- 

 stream told, if the submerged packs had not, 

 that they were in dangerous water. Bill Longley, 

 Harry and others (including myself) were in the 

 string that crossed above, and for a moment it 

 looked as if we should encounter swimming 

 water, as it foamed up to the middle of the 

 horses' bodies, wetting the packs and ourselves 

 as well. Swimming water in that surging torrent 

 hardly conveys a true meaning of the term to 



47 



