Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 1.djvu/98

Rh sloping back. It was our purpose to get upon that back with all speed. So, for a mile or more, we followed the main direction of the valley, gradually bearing to our right and thus emerging from the thicker forest into the open. When we considered that we had gone far enough up the valley, we turned sharply to our right and began to climb, finding the slope quite easy and the going fairly good. We had all day before us, and we had no intention of making our excursion anything but an enjoyment. Therefore, any ambition to force the pace on the part of any member was sternly frowned down.

By 10 o'clock we had got clear of the trees and had begun to see more clearly our direction. But more, we began to realize somewhat more clearly the magnitude of our enterprise. The back of this old Cascade proved to be longer than that bestowed upon most things that have backs, and the lack of equipment was beginning to tell. The ladies of our party were already a grotesquely solemn warning that petticoats and flimsy skirts are not for mountain climbers. And it was with some considerable concern that we made the further discovery that kid boots are better for drawing-rooms. But in spite of shredded skirts and fraying boots, our ladies faced the slope with not even the faintest sign of fainting hearts.

An hour more, and we began to get views; views so wonderful as to make even the ladies forget their fluttering skirts and clogging petticoats and fast disintegrating boots. But now we bagan [sic] to have a choice of directions. We had never imagined there could be so many paths apparetly [sic] all leading to the mountain top, but we discovered that what had appeared to be an unbroken slope, was gashed by numerous deep gorges that forbade passage, and ever and again we were forced to double on our course and make long detours about these gulches. In the presence of one unuually [sic]