SWAMPS AND EAIiV. 285 



by clouds. The porters again pretended to think the 

 direct descent too steep, but, with the results of the day 

 before as an argument in our favour, we were not disposed 

 to let them have their own way, and insisted on their 

 taking advantage of the route nature had provided in the 

 snow-gully at our feet. Having started the whole troop — 

 who descended with an air of the greatest trepidation, and 

 screamed with fright when one of us above dislodged a 

 small stone which fell amongst them — we followed oui'- 

 selves by a rapid glissade, but, warned by previous ex- 

 perience not to leave the porters, we accommodated our pace 

 to theirs, which was in consequence somewhat improved. 



A long wooded slope led down to the western Zenes- 

 Squali. The herbage was as rank and the woods as 

 thick as on the da}' before, but we avoided some of 

 the fatigue by allowing the whole train of twelve men 

 to march before us, and taking advantage of the trail 

 thus formed. We got on at a very fair pace down to 

 the left bank of the stream, into which a pretty water- 

 fall tumbled from the opposite hillside. The skii-t of the 

 Maschquar glacier, from which it takes its rise, was visible 

 under the clouds at the head of the valley. The whole 

 afternoon, from 12 till 6.15 p.m., was spent in forcing our 

 Avay down the wildest valley we met with in the whole 

 course of our wanderings. There was no trace of path, 

 so, following the custom of the country, we clambered 

 for some distance over the boulders in the channel of the 

 river, and when this was impossible, forced our way 

 through the virgin forest which lines its banks. Dense 

 thickets, prostrate logs^ and swamps into which we sank 

 deep at every step, were the leading features of the walk, 

 while the same luxuriant vegetation which we had before 

 encountered was everywhere remarkable. 



Heavy rain now began, and continued to fall for the rest 



