piece was but an episode; the event 
of that journey was the intimate ac- 
quaintance we made of the Great Gla- 
cier of the Selkirks, and the nice op- 
portunity I had to lose my life. And 
the only reason this tale is not more 
tragic is because, given the choice, I 
preferred to lose the opportunity rather 
than the life. 
I wonder if I can give any idea to 
one who has not seen it what a snow 
slide really is; how it sweeps away 
every vestige of trees, grass, and roots, 
and leaves a surface of shifting, un- 
stable earth almost as treacherous as 
quicksand. 
Nimrod and [ had paid a superficial 
visit to the Glacier the day betore: that 
is, we had gone as far as its forefoot, a 
hard but thoroughly safe climb, and 
had explored with awe the green glass 
A 
neommem es 
