Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 2.djvu/165

Rh clothes, mending tents, and drying out boots could be freely indulged; and only the most ardent mountaineers spent the majority of their days in actual climbing. I hope that all of us, as we idled about in camp or took advantage of the daily expeditions through the valley or over the mountains, thought occasionally of those who oiled the smoothly running machinery. How would you, oh Robinson, have liked the fun of running the President's office, sending off scores of glorious expeditions and never sharing one, appointing guides you might not follow and replenishing rucksacks for other mouths to empty? Or with what grace would you, Miss Vere de Vere, have sweltered with the Official Chaperone in the tea-tent, catering to the insatiate thirst of the camp and leaning on bruised reeds of Ganymedes, who often went to pour and remained to eat?

Here's a health (and we would drink it in that same tea) to the President, the O. C, the Secretary, and all our noble officers. Here's to the governments too, at Ottawa and Edmonton, who have so practically endorsed our work! And here's to that octopus of a railway company who "hewed timber afore out the thick trees," loaned us their guides, and sent us (at one fare) on our way rejoicing!

Of the official climbs, i.e., the climbs by which graduating members were to qualify for active membership, that up Mt. Aberdeen was taken by the greater number. Every day from twelve to thirty persons ascended this mountain, which was right behind the camp and has a height of 10,340 feet. The earlier expeditions from the camp up this mountain were attended with some difficulty owing partly to severe weather and partly to the dangerous course at first taken. Your blood would run cold if I could repeat to you the horrible adventures told in tent No. 5 by the different gentlemen who took part in those first ascents. The ledges along which they walked for hours were never