181 
A TOUGH CLIMB. 
crow, and took tlic remaining two along to carry the spy- 
glass and a signal, I myself having a sextant-box under 
my arm, a revolver through my belt, and a pair of six- 
pound expedition-boots upon my heels. The revolver I 
carried because it was a standing order to go armed, and 
the boots I dragged along because the natives had warned 
us of the existence of snakes whoso bite always put people 
to sleep, which latter wo interpreted as meaning death. 
“ Our road at first was quite navigable, — not that there 
rcas any road, but simply from the facts that the under- 
• growth was not absolutely impassable, and that the moun- 
tain-side was sufficiently sloped to let one hold on without 
resorting to his hands. 
“At the end of a half-hour’s tramp, however, things 
began to look different. We were about half-way up the 
mountain, the thick undergrowth was rapidly giving 
place to rock, ravines, and spare patches of grass, and 
what earth there was was of that crumbling nature that 
makes a climber feel icell before he trusts his weight on 
the advancing foot. We came to a halt, set our various 
burdens on the ground at our feet, drew a long breath, 
and commenced looking around. It Avas our first attempt 
at climbing for some months, and our knees already 
began to shake, while the upward prospect Avas more 
stupendous than ever. 
“ ‘IIoAv in the AA'orld are wo ever to get up to the top of 
that peak ?’ avo asked ourselves, as the eye searched in 
vain for a favouring ridge or firmer foothold. 
“ It Avas a hard question, — one that could only be an- 
swered by trial ; and so AA’e resumed our burdens and 
undertook its toilsome solution. 
