A COUNCIL OF WAE. 201 



to the east was a surprise. Group beyond grouj) of snowy 

 peaks stretched away to the far-off Basardjusi (14,722 

 feet), the monarch of the Eastern Caucasus. Nearer, and 

 therefore more conspicuous, was the fine head of Schebulos 

 (14,781 feet). On the western horizon we eag-erly sought 

 Elbruz, but it was not to be foimd ; whether veiled by 

 clouds, or hidden behind the Koschtantau group, we could 

 not say. We fancied afterwards that we recognised 

 Kazbek from Elbruz : of course in this case the converse 

 is possible. Except in the immediate vicinity of Kazbek, 

 there seemed to be but few and small glaciers nearer than 

 the Adai Kliokh group, on the further side of the Ardon 

 valley. 



After a stay of about ten minutes, we quitted the sum- 

 mit, where it was impossible to leave any trace of our visit. 

 We could not spare an ice-axe. to fix upon the snow-dome, 

 and the rocks were too big to use for building a stone 

 man. In a quarter of an hour we regained the gap, and 

 then held a council. From the commencement of our 

 difficulties our minds had been troubled about how we 

 should get down, though, fortunately for our success, they 

 had been more pressingly occupied with the business of 

 the ascent. Now, however, the question had to be fairly 

 faced - — how were we to descend the ice-slope we had 

 climbed with so much difficulty ? With a strong party — 

 that is, a party with a due proportion of guides, and when 

 good steps can be cut — there is no more delicate mountain- 

 eering operation than the descent of a really steep ice- 

 slope. Our party was not a strong one, and on this parti- 

 cular slope it was practically impossible to cut steps at all. 

 A bad slip would result in the roll of the whole party for 

 at least 2,000 feet, unless cut short by one of the numerous 

 crevasses on the lower part of the mountain. The exact 

 manner of its termination would, however, probably be a 

 matter of indifference when that termination came. 



