254 CAUCASIAN GLACIERS AND FORESTS. 



certainties were not, however, sufficient to counterbalance 

 the pleasure derived from the sense of novelty and adven- 

 ture, and the only real subject of anxiety which disquieted 

 us was the state of Tucker's heels, both of which he had 

 rubbed raw during the day's walk. Moore was fortunately 

 provided with plaister, and the failure of the natural was 

 supplied by an artificial coating. When daylight faded 

 away we arranged our side-bags, the only luggage we 

 carried, as pillows, and soon fell off to sleep. 



July 11th. — Our sheltered position, combined with the 

 fineness of the weather and a good fire, which was kept 

 up nearly all night, prevented our suffering from cold, 

 and I have seldom enjoyed sounder sleep than I did in 

 this bivouac in the fir-forest. We were, in fact, almost 

 too comfortable, for no one stirred before daybreak, and it 

 was not till half-past three that our preparations were 

 concluded, and we were ready to start for the unknown 

 region in which the great ice-stream flowing under our 

 feet had its origin. We had previously discussed the 

 question, whether it would be better to descend on to the 

 glacier or to keep along its left bank, and had decided in 

 favour of the latter course, notwithstanding the necessity 

 it involved of partially retracing our steps, in order to 

 cross the stream flowing from the Gurdzieveesk glen. 

 The circuit necessary to effect this passage cost us an 

 hour's most toilsome walking. The place at which we 

 jumped the stream was one not to be generally recom- 

 mended, as it was necessary to advance to the point of a 

 smooth and slippery rock, and jump from thence on to 

 the farther side. The jump itself was easy, but the ' take- 

 off' was so bad, and the consequences of a slip into the 

 rapid torrent would have been so serious, that no small 

 care was necessary. After a tiresome scramble, amidst 

 rhododendron bushes and over large and frequently 



