370 ASCENT OF ELBRUZ. 



Baksan, and tliat there was no apparent difficulty in 

 following it into the head of the glen from which we had 

 orio-inally proposed to attack the mountain. The snow 

 was still in good order, owing to the extreme cold, and we 

 slid quickly down — the two natives, though declining to 

 be attached to our rope, gladly accepting the suggestion 

 that they should hold it in their hands. When ascending 

 in our tracks, they had seen the hole made by my dis- 

 appearance in the crevasse, and tbe lesson was not lost 

 upon them. 



A cloud which had formed in the valley now swept 

 up, and enveloped us for half-an-hour, but we found 

 no difficulty in steering our way through the layer of mist 

 into bright sunshine. We arrived at the bivouac to find 

 that Paul had already left with the baggage, and 

 we soon followed, leisurely descending the steep slopes 

 beside the icefall. The stream, which yesterday burst 

 from the foot of the glacier, had changed its source, and 

 to-day spurted in a jet from the top of a bank of ice. 

 The heat of the afternoon had swollen its waters, and we 

 found some difficulty in crossing them. The two natives 

 had arrived before us, and told their story to their com- 

 panions and the shepherds, who, having made up their 

 minds that we should never be seen again, were surprised 

 and seemingly pleased to welcome us, not only safe but 

 successful. On our appearance in camp we had to submit 

 to the congratiilations of the country, offered in their 

 usual form of hugging and kissing. 



August 1st. — We were too stiff, after our long exposure 

 to cold, to rest very easily, and were ready to start on oui* 

 return to Uruspieh at an early hour. Om- men, however, had 

 other plans, and we found that they meant to kill and eat a 

 sheep before leaving. Wishing to take our time on the 

 road, we left them to follow ; but I no sooner attempted to 



