URSUS HORRIBILIS 105 



sides into the streams below, thus filling them 

 to overflowing. The Chief said not a word, 

 but led Charley directly towards the glacier 

 of which I have previously spoken. When 

 we had gotten to it, he promptly led his horse 

 out upon it, and I asked him what he meant 

 to do. He said he was going to cross it. He 

 had never climbed this glacier, neither had 

 any other white man so far as he knew, but 

 we must get over it in some way or else lay 

 out all night. 



When I remarked that I could not climb 

 that sheet of snow and ice and go down the 

 other side, as I had nothing on my feet but 

 moccasins, he soon settled the question by cut- 

 ting two pieces of rope and tying one around 

 and under the instep of each foot, saying: 

 "Come on now, you won't slip." 



He led Charley, and I led Billie. There 

 was a goodly crust of frozen snow on top of 

 the ice, and this, when broken through by our 

 steps, brought us in touch with the rapidly 

 melting ice and running water underneath, 

 which in turn filled my footwear with icy wa- 

 ter. There was no time or place to remedy 

 this condition, so we grimly plodded on, yet 

 always slipping back some with each step. 



At last we reached the top, which was found 



