'THE NEST.' 141 



of US had ascended as yet, while Frank kept 

 guard below. 



I have seldom had such a disagreeable 

 climb as that first ascent to ' the nest,' as we 

 called it, and though, before I left the moun- 

 tains, I should not have thought much of 

 doing it alone, my grip of Simon's coat-tails 

 was uncommonly tight as I went up for the 

 first time. However, thanks to these and 

 Yassili's stalwart shoulder propping me up 

 from below, I made a safe, albeit undignified 

 ascent, stopping to take a draught of the 

 mineral water at the tur's lick on the way. 



The spring bubbles up in a tiny natural 

 cup, and is so strongly impregnated with iron 

 that two or three mouthfuls are as much as 

 you can swallow. Both my guides drank of 

 it greedily, alleging that it gave strength and 

 renewed health to the drmker. 



' The nest ' was a mere ledge high uj) on 

 the bare face of the clifi", with no apparent way 



