OF THE RIVER SEILEJ. 347 



immense wilderness, a turret-like peak was observed to break the unvarying' 

 whiteness of the picture, its wall-like sides denying the snow to rest upon 

 them, though presenting occasionally a ledge on which a few birds that 

 flitted about might alight ; these turret-like masses gave a peculiar character 

 to the scene. As we advanced nearer the summit of the pass, the assent be- 

 came less severe, though the fatigue was still great, owing to the softness of 

 the snow, in which we repeatedly sunk up to the middle. 



The day was now far advanced; though we had proceeded but five miles ; 

 a long and weary way yet remained; and such was the exhaustion occasi- 

 oned by the repeated sinking, in the snow, that it is probable we should 

 not have arrived in any reasonable time, but for a little refreshment which 

 we had with us. At this great elevation, the simplest motion, the mere 

 raising the hand, occasions fatigue, accompanied with a hurried breathing 

 that is very distressing. Even when perfectly still, this latter affection is 

 felt; caused, it has appeared tome, by a sense of suffocation, or rather, by a 

 want of sufficient air. The servants and hill followers began to be alarmed 

 at the length of way, seeing no immediate termination of the wintry hor- 

 rors that surrounded them. To add to our perplexity, the sky became 

 overcast, black clouds collected overhead, and at one time I even thought 

 I felt a flake of snow, descend upon my outstretched hand. 



A fall of snow, if at all heavy, would at this period of our progress, have 



been the destruction of probably half our followers, fatigued and dispirited 



as they were, and having five or six 1 miles of snow to surmount whether 



they went on or turned back. Fortunately the alarm proved a false one ; 



but the clouds continuing to collect and darken overhead, induced us to 



use the utmost expedition, that, if possible, we might reach the other side of 



the pass before a change of weather should take place; towards evening 



we discovered the summit rising in a wall of snow to the height of about 



II t 2- 



