228 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



men and myself climbed down to the glacier, 

 and tried to find a way to the crags from 

 which our escaped prey had descended. 



It was getting late when we found a 

 feasible path, and my men begged me to stay 

 where we were for the night, as there was 

 wood and water, and a place which some 

 hunter had used before as a camp. But I am 

 ashamed to say I had lost my temper, and 

 nothing would do for me but another effort 

 among the peaks while daylight lasted. My 

 men's remonstrances fell unheeded, or only 

 met with a good rating in return ; and it 

 speaks well for them that they followed me 

 in spite of my folly, until that happened 

 which they had predicted. 



Having climbed about half way to the 

 point at which we hoped to find ibex, and 

 being well out of range of wood and water, 

 the mists and the darkness came down upon 

 us, making further progress impossible, so 



