I'KAKS AND I'ASSKS :}7.") 



an angle, and tho dim outlino of tlie Glacier a[t[)care(l like 

 some laro"o, white, flat fish. The seareelv percept ihh' in- 

 crease of liuht was sulUcii'Ul to iiidicaLe our LTeneral I'oiite, 

 and hy sunrise we had crossed the glacier, and ivached the 

 hasc of the great frozen pyramid, with whii-h we wov to 

 try conclusions. 



( mler such circumst anci's. it is generally the best 

 policy to attain, at once, to one of the great ridges which 

 lend u[t to the peak to he clim])ed, and to follow its crest 

 as nearly as possible; for this reason, that the angle of a 

 pyramid must necessarily be less steep tiian either of its 

 faces, and also l)(M'aus(\ fj-om such a ]^(^sition, you can 

 better survey the slopes on either side, and take advantage 

 of any favourable combination winch may present itself. 

 In our case the only ridge available was that to dui- right. 

 forming the western barrier of th(» glacier. It was of a 

 formidable character, l)ut I am inelined to think that on 

 a closer ac(piainlance, a wav could have been fouml among 

 its rocky obstacles, which would have occupied less time 

 than the one we ndr)pte(b On the othm- hand, we might 

 have l)een stopped altogether, and. })rovided our patience 

 and stcp-cntting force held out, the ice-route was the more 

 certain. Owv men too, as ('hamnimi guides always do, 

 preferred the glacier, bv which 1 do ihiI mean, in this case, 

 the ordinai'x' ice-stream, but a binkeii clilf of exceptional 

 height and steepness, from which detached masses wei-e 

 continualK' idunirinix downwards. 



For a liHig distance, our route lav up a >l(ipe entirel\- 

 com[iosed (»f avalanche drhns. ( )ne nnunent we ic-ted 



<i|| ,1 .-iillil bmildii- ot' ice. half enner.ded, tllC llext. witlloUt 



an\' warning, we j»lunged up In oui' middles into snow, 



