Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.djvu/301

252 formidable character. We had only a single circumstance wherewith to console ourselves, at one place alone was it possible to attempt to cross; those tiring traverses and vain searches for a better line so usual in such circumstances were, in consequence, wholly avoided, and we set ourselves determinedly to the passage.

After a few preliminary efforts, I got down on to a curious flake of ice that had been split from the upper lip of the Schrund, and, carefully held by Collie and Hastings, examined its stability. The great flake appeared perfectly sound and secure, so the others came down on to it, and after careful inspection agreed that if we could reach a small notch in the edge of the ice flake some distance to our right and some twenty feet below our present standing ground, the last man could lower the two others and then jump across the chasm on to some convenient snow.

The edge of the flake was too thoroughly disintegrated and rotten to be of any use, but we were able to cut our way down and along, inside the crevasse separating it from the parent ice. By this means the gap was reached without undue delay. As, however, we, one after another, stepped into it, a somewhat blank look settled on our features. It was evident that below the snow on which we wished to jump, were large blocks of broken ice excellently suited for the fracture of any legs or other similar objects which