304 . Thirty Years 
face of the ice was perféctly smooth, we slipt at almost 
every step, and were frequently blown down by the 
wind with such force as to shake our, whole frames. 
Poor Fontano was completely exhausted by the la- 
bor of making this traverse, and we made a halt until 
his strength was recruited, by which time ‘the party 
was benumbed with cold. Proceeding again, he got 
on tolerably well for a little time, but being again 
seized with faintness and dizziness, he fell often, and 
at length exclaimed that he could go no further. We 
immediately stopped, and endeavored to encourage 
him to persevere, until we should find some willows, 
to encamp ; he insisted, however, that he could not 
march any longer through this deep snow ; and said, 
that if he should even reach our encampment this 
evening, he must be left there, provided tripe de roche 
could not be procured to recruit his strength. The 
poor man was overwhelmed with grief, and seemed de- 
sirous to remain at that spot. We were about two 
miles from the place where the other men had been 
left, and as the track to it was beaten, we proposed to 
him to return thither, as we thought it probable he 
would find the men still there : at any rate he would 
be able to get fuel to keep him warm during the night ; 
and, on the next day, he could follow their track to 
the officers’ tent ; and, should the path be covered by 
the snow, the pines we had passed yesterday would 
guide him, as they were yet in view. 
