224 WANDERINGS OF A 



vants toiling througt the wreaths and drifts. The old shick- 

 aree Abel Khan, who had often crossed the pass, assured 

 us he had never before attempted the passage under such 

 desperate circumstances. Hill-tops and undulating ridges 

 stretched far and wide, running either in continuous slopes, 

 into yawning gulfs, or spreading out into long valleys. As 

 he stood on the declivity of a spur, which ended abruptly at 

 the brink of a precipice, the guide drew our attention to the 

 marks of a recent struggle among the snow on its brink, as if 

 some large object had slipped over into the abyss. His 

 accustomed eye knew the signs too well, and, shaking his head, 

 he informed us that one of the party that preceded us a few 

 days before must have fallen over the precipice ; and his words 

 proved true, for on our arrival at TJnshun we found that a 

 coolie had missed his footing and slipped over the preci- 

 pice. In vain did the boldest and most expert of his party 

 attempt to reach the unfortunate man. The most vigorous 

 efforts failed from the steepness of the mountains and the great 

 quantities of snow. At length, from a neighbouring cliff, the 

 unfortunate man could be seen on the - pinnacle of rock 

 writhing in agony, and vultures hovering around him*; but 

 no mortal efforts were of any avail, and he was left to his fate. 

 When the weather moderated, and the snow had partially 

 melted, another party attempted the ascent some weeks after- 

 wards, but were equally unsuccessful ; neither from the cliff 

 could they discern any traces of the poor man, not even a 

 vulture hovered near. None of our party forgot the halt on 

 that ridge, by the side of the gnarled old birch-tree. Here we 

 held a council whether to push on or return ; the guide 

 seemed indifferent ; so we decided to proceed, and once more 

 pushed forward ; now creeping cautiously along a rocky ridge, 

 then running as fast as the deepness of the snow would allow, 



