•200 ASCEKT OF EAZBEK. 



slippery staircase. It has always remained a mystery 

 to us how we <^-ot from step to step without a slip. The 

 difficulties of the feat were increased by a bitter wind, 

 which swept across the slope in fitful blasts of intense 

 fury, driving the snow in blinding showers into our faces 

 as we crouched down for shelter, and numbing our 

 hands to such a degree that we could scarcely retain hold 

 of our axes. 



Time passes rapidly in such circumstances, and it was 

 not until 11 a.m., when Fran9ois was again exhausted 

 by the labour of leading, that we gained the saddle 

 between the two summits. There was no doubt now that 

 the eastern peak was the highest ; at this we were well 

 pleased, as, in such a wind as was raging, the passage of the 

 exceedingly narrow ridge leading to the western summit 

 would have been no pleasant task. Snatching a morsel 

 of food, we left Francois to recover himself, and started 

 by ourselves. Tucker leading. The final climb was not 

 difficult ; a broad bank of hard snow led to some rocks ; 

 above lay more snow, succeeded by a second and larger 

 patch of rocks (where Fran9ois rejoined us),w"liich in their 

 turn merged in the final snow-cupola of the mountain. A 

 few steps brought us to the edge of the southern cliifs, along 

 which we mounted. The snow-ridge ceased to ascend, 

 and then fell away before us. It was just midday when we 

 saw beneath us the valley of the Terek, and knew that the 

 highest point of Kazbek was under our feet. The cold, 

 owing to the high wind, would not allow us to stop on the 

 actual crest ; but we sat down half a dozen feet below it, 

 and tried to take in as much as possible of the vast pano- 

 rama before us. 



Clouds had by this time risen in the valleys, and covered 

 the great northern plain, but the mountain-peaks were for 

 the most part clear. The apparent grandeur of the ranges 



