Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.djvu/285

236 to some extent on the doubtful security so afforded, I leant round and, with the axe in the left hand, made some slight notches in the wall. A gap was then hacked out of the snow and ice above, into which the rope was carefully tucked, so that it might be above me should anything unforeseen occur. For one step my adhesion to the cliff was somewhat doubtful, and I have a very clear remembrance of my inability to get the right leg round an awkward bulge without throwing what seemed an undue strain on a hand-hold carefully carved out of the fragile snow above. However, cheered by encouraging remarks from Hastings, who always knows how to inspire the leader with confidence, the bulge was passed, and a comparatively simple piece of step-cutting brought us to the shelf. This in turn led us back to the ridge.

We were soon again forced off it, and had to descend a short distance on the Talêfre face. Climbing back, we were met by a great cornice fringed with a long row of icicles. We crept along between the snow wall and the icicles, fearing to touch the latter lest the whole structure should come down bodily on our heads. A small gap was at length reached, and after a few remaining tufts and tassels of ice had been hacked away, it was possible to crawl through. Good anchorage for the rest of the party being here available, I scrambled on to the cornice, and from that point of vantage was able to effect a lodgment on the next