&oini (o t^t Cop 



To keep the party together, — for the tend- 

 ency of climbers is to scatter, some traveUng 

 rapidly and others slowly, — it became my 

 practice to stop occasionally and tell a story, 

 comment on a bit of scenery, or relate an inci- 

 dent that had occurred near by. As I spoke in 

 a low tone, the climbers ahead shouting "Hurry 

 up!" and the ones behind calling "Wait!" 

 could not hear me. This method kept down 

 friction and usually held the party together. 

 With a large party, however, confusion some- 

 times arose despite my efforts to anticipate 

 it. 



Hoping to get valuable climbing suggestions, 

 I told my experiences one day to a gentleman 

 who I thought might help me; but he simply re- 

 peated the remark of Trampas that in every 

 party of six there is a fool! It is almost impos- 

 sible for a numerous party, even though every 

 one of them may be well-meaning, to travel 

 along a steep trail without friction. 



My most unpleasant climb was with a fateful 

 six, — three loving young couples. Two college 

 professors about to be married formed one of the 



7 



