Page:Mannering - With axe and rope in the New Zealand Alps.djvu/99

Rh Now a great council of war was held, the main point of discussion being as to whether we should attempt our long deferred ascent of Aorangi, which was, as usual, the chief object of our visit to the glaciers.

Here we were, with provisions for four or five days longer, the mountain apparently in good order, the weather perfection, and we were not pushed for time. The mountain had been inspected by various members of the party from different coigns of vantage. We had seen from a distance the névé fields leading on to the Linda Glacier.

Against this we had first to consider the state of Dixon's health. He was quite prepared, and anxious to try the ascent. We thought that it would be too much for him. Then there was the accident to the lamp, which was now useless, there was no firewood at the bivouac, 7,400 feet up, and no sure means of procuring water. Annan, too, had to leave to attend to his work down country, and I think, if the truth were told, that Johnson and I felt as if we had had enough of mountaineering for a time.

Yet we were very loth to turn our faces away again from the grim giant who had defied us so long, and it was only with much reluctance that we decided to abandon the project. So for the third time I retired from the ramparts of Aorangi unsuccessful, on this occasion without even so much as an attempt.

We came down to the Hermitage once more, and after a day or two's quiet rest yoked Dixon's celebrated tandem up, crossed the Tasman River, thus cutting