Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 1.djvu/149

98 This first peak (10,194 feet) ran down again into a depression of 100 feet or so, and then up again into a second peak, the second peak again into a third and fourth. We visited each in turn and found them good climbing. The descent from the third peak was quite precipitous, and was quite the hardest piece of work we had yet encountered.

After a good rest on the fourth or most westerly peak, we commenced the descent by the western arête. It was a matter of working from ledge to ledge. Except when one looked from the extreme edge of these ledges, he could see nothing below but the white of the glacier; but a little traverse, north or south, invariably led to an opening to a lower ledge. Falling stones were the worst danger. Feuz ducked in time to escape one half as big as his head. I got one on the ankle, but not to amount to anything. The ledges became narrower and the pitch steeper, the farther we descended. Probably, we covered more than half the distance to the glacier in this way, and might have made the whole descent by the arête, but for a moment of indecision for which I take all the blame. Dr. Herdman and Mr. Gordon had been on the rope with Feuz, and the younger guide and I were roped together. Young Feuz was leading and doing it with accuracy and speed. All went well until we dropped down five or six feet to a sloping ledge covered with scree, and nothing in sight below but the glistening white of the glacier. Carefully he picked his way to the edge and then swung himself sideways to a projection or ledge hidden from us. Here I asked Feuz senior to give me a rope from behind. There was a little hesitation. Mr. Gordon, intrepid climber as he proved himself on this and another climb we had together, wanted to take my place. But the cautious senior guide thought otherwise, and called us back. We all roped together then, and left the arête for good.