2.56 CAUCASIAN GLACIERS AND FORESTS. 



tearing Tucker's drinking-cup out of his liaud, and hurry- 

 ing off with it. The cup was of no value in itself, but we 

 could ill spare it at the time. Two lateral glaciers coming 

 from either side join the Karagam immediately below 

 the icefall, but neither of them is of considerable size. 

 The path, which had hitherto served so well, now came to 

 an end, where low stone walls built under an overhanging 

 boulder showed its object, and indicated the occasional 

 visits of shepherds and their flocks to the grassy slopes 

 which rose above the glacier on our right. We here took 

 leave of vegetation and terra jiryna, which we were not 

 again to tread until we reached the valley of the Rion. 

 In crossing the moraine we did not take the best possible 

 course, and had, in consequence, to walk along the narrow 

 ridge of a pile of rubbish, which formed quite a typical 

 arete, and would, if provided with proper precipices, have 

 been most sensational. 



The foot of the icefall was soon reached, and the way in 

 which it could best be attacked became obvious. The 

 lower portion promised to be tolerably plain sailing ; but 

 it was evident that, after a time, it would be necessary to 

 bear to the left, on which side alone the upper maze of 

 crevasses appeared at all assailable. The ice, which was 

 almost level where we first entered on it, soon began to 

 rise before us, and the surface, although not as yet 

 seamed by any deep chasms, became uneven and slippery. 

 Having reached the beginning of the real work, where it 

 was necessary to put on the rope, we took the opportunity 

 of halting to eat a second breakfast, to which a rivulet, 

 just unloosed by the returning warmth from its night's im- 

 j)risonment, contributed most usefully. A teetotaller would 

 have a decided advantage over his winebibbing com- 

 panions in Caucasian mountaineering ; the general impossi- 

 bility of obtaining drinkable wine or spirit in any of the 



