INTENSE COLD. 3G3 



coming witli us ; he was so anxious to ascend tlie famous 

 mountain, whicli he had lived near and heard talked of 

 all his life, that we did not like to check his enthusiasm, 

 especially as there seemed no reason why he should not 

 accomplish his desire. The night promised to be cold, 

 and we invited Francois to come inside the tent — which, as 

 we had proved on Kazbek, would at a pinch accommodate 

 four — while Paul found a sheltered couch in a trench we 

 had dug at the head of the tent. 



July Slst. — The cold during the night was so intense, 

 that the water in a gutta-percha bag, which we had filled 

 overnight and hung within the canvas, was frozen before 

 morning into a solid sausage of ice, and in consequence, 

 having no firewood with us, we could procure nothing to 

 drink. At 2.10 a.m., having attached ourselves with the 

 rope, in the knowledge that terra jirma would soon be left 

 behind, we set out alone, the natives not answering to our 

 shouts. In climbing the steep snow-banks which lead to 

 the 'grand plateau,' Paul slipped about helplessly, and 

 Tucker had almost to drag him for some distance. 

 When, in a quarter of an hour, we reached the edge of 

 the great snow-plain, Elbruz loomed before us, huge and 

 pale, but, to our surprise and disgust, partially shrouded by 

 a black cloud. The walking was now easy, and we 

 tramped on in solemn, not to say surly silence, our ice- 

 axes under our arms, and our hands in our pockets. We 

 were well protected from the severe cold by Welsh wigs, 

 scarves, cardigans, and muif'etees, though, owing to our men 

 having mislaid my gaiters, I offered one weak pomt to the 

 enemy's attack. 



A few benighted peoi)lo still reiterate the assertion 

 that the true beauty of nature ceases at the snow-level, 

 and that those who go beyond it get no reward for their 

 pains except the satisfaction of having treated a great 



