RECOLLECTIONS OF ( IIA.MolS 111 Nl'ING 67 



nautical li'Icscopc in the side-pocket of his coat, and in 

 his strno-o-h\s to keep his In ad u|)|)ennost, it fell out, and 

 iii)\v la\' liurifd at an nid-cnown (le[)tli in tin- cDnucalrd 

 heap. \\ f |ir(tl)rd in all dirrctions, and scrapiMl a\\a\- llic 

 surface, l)Ul dii;'L;'iii,u' with an ice-axe is slow work, and it 

 hecauie eNddcnt that the uiattiu' was liopeless. Slush v 

 snow is the coldest ot' inciliuuis, and patience was soon 

 exhausted, as well as animal lieat, l)esides, worse weatlier 

 appeared to ])e ltrcwin_<>'. Our three guides still persisted, 

 another instance of Engadiner obstinacy, and when re- 

 peated expostulations had failed, we five tied ourselves 

 together, and left them to their iiiiilless searcJi. L*rc- 

 sently we came to another slope whi(di appeared to be 

 even lonci'cr and moi'c in\'ilinu' than the last. ( )winL!; to a 

 light haze, the end of it was not distinctly \ isihle. hut- as 

 far as we could see, its surface appeared (piitc uidiroken, 

 and we started in full confidence that we had only to 

 keep our heads above water and go ahead. 1 hil. and 

 suddeidx" I saw that it was not all right. The slope curled 

 over ominousl}' in front. 1 pulleil up as ipiickK' as 1 could, 

 but it was too late. Those behind me were not equally 

 practised, and bei'ofe 1 cou]<l warn ni\' innncdiate follower, 

 he came into \iolent collision with ni\' hack. I was not 

 ]>roof against such swift bowling, and was drixcii (tver the 

 edo-e at an uno-overnablc rate. Then followeil ihe un- 

 pleasant sensation of resting on nothing, and I fell straight 

 through the air. com])letely clearing the liciui-sch ri'nd. 

 With a thud 1 penetrated the soft snow, and then it 

 seemed to me that each of my com ]ian ions in succession 

 fell on the top of me. AVe were ioljowed li\- the snow, 

 which came d(»\\n in a cataract on our backs, and when I 



