MY CAMPING EXPERIENCE IN TOOKTOO VALLEY 1 73 



we were by no means sure that a raging stream tlid not sweep 

 down on the other side. Great rocks were continually rolling 

 from the top of the glaciers, and I did not think it safe to 

 venture. The scene was an impressive one. Black cliffs 

 raise their heads over four great white glaciers, smooth as 

 marble, and at their feet roars a furious torrent, till it merges 

 into a broad lake, which looks as calm and unruffled as if this 

 stream were only a drop in its depths. On each side of this 

 stretch of water the valley is carpeted with soft green moss 

 and yellow poppies, and fairly alive with the chirping and 

 flitting of birds. We tarried here quite a while. I could not 

 make up my mind to leave so beautiful a scene ; besides, the 

 only thing left for us to do now was to wait for low tide, 

 which would be about one A. M., and then ford the river 

 where we had crossed it in the morning. It was 8.45 P. M. 

 when we again reached the mouth of the stream. The tide 

 was high, but falling. Had we had something to eat we 

 should not have minded the waiting. We kept moving in 

 order to keep warm, until we thought that the tide had 

 reached its ebb. As we neared the shore we could see no 

 familiar line of rocks which indicated low tide, and on closer 

 examination we were horrified to find a "high low tide." 

 Still we felt we must attempt to cross, and Matt started in, 

 while I followed at his heels. The first step was over our 

 knees, the next came mid-thigh on Matt, and then I backed 

 out, for I knew that we were not near the deepest part yet ; 

 besides, the current was so strong that I could hardly keep 



