Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.djvu/295

246 work; or we could keep more to the right, where an occasional sérac and more than an occasional stone were in the habit of fallings and ascend by a series of séracs piled one on the other, till an avalanche groove, high above the Schrund, was gained.

According to our usual practice, we decided on the shorter and temporarily more difficult line, and bore towards the open Schrund with the over-hanging lip. As we approached, however, it became obvious that this lip was too high to be practicable, so we altered our course, and swung round to the right towards the piled-up débris of séracs. When we had got to this rather rickety structure, we halted a moment to put on the rope and pull ourselves together before beginning the attack.

We had at the outset to climb on to a fragile, egg-shell sort of arrangement that bridged the crevasse, and led to the lowest of the séracs. Steps worthy the name could not be cut, as it was obvious that a very trifling interference with the structure might send it crashing into the open chasm below. After some preliminary efforts, Hastings hoisted me on to his shoulders and shoved me on to the top of the bridge. Its upper edge was peculiarly insecure, and so loaded with powdery snow that its passage suggested unpleasant possibilities. At the point where it abutted against the precipitous face of the first