A PROTRACTED CHASE 97 



had gone, and hard work it was, though 

 we were going only very slightly upwards, 

 for as the ground fell steeply away on our 

 left, the grass shoes kept working round on 

 our feet, which was very uncomfortable. 

 We were very high up, too, and were con- 

 stantly crossing snow valleys, where we had 

 to cut footholds with the hatchet, as the snow 

 was as hard as ice. 



Crossing one of these, Lassoo slipped, 

 and I involuntarily caught hold of him to 

 help him, and the next second we were to- 

 bogganing down the snow. It is strange 

 how small is the impression made by a 

 danger which comes unexpectedly, and how 

 great is one's confidence in luck and Pro- 

 vidence. There were we, flying down the 

 hill on our faces, with our sticks scratching 

 over the hard snow, with death at no dis- 

 tant period apparently before us, and yet it 

 never seriously entered my head that we 

 should be killed. I only felt a peculiar 

 coolness and a wonder as to what would 

 stop us this time, while Lassoo's orders 

 H 



