Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.djvu/302

Rh might happen to fall on them; moreover, the difference in height was considerably more than we had judged from above—certainly not less than thirty feet. A strong and irresistible feeling of modesty now invaded each individual of the party, and no one would consent to accept the usually coveted distinction of descending as last man. This humility of mind seeming wholly proof to the blandishments of the most artful flattery, we had to seek another method of grappling with the difficulty.

On the inside of the flake, and about six feet below us, was a small ledge from which it appeared that a staircase might be constructed leading obliquely down the crevasse, till it emerged beyond the edge of the flake at the level of the lower snow field. Whether it would be possible to cross the Schtund at this point was not very certain, but in mountaineering something should always be left to luck. It adds such zest and interest to the proceedings!

No sooner had I scrambled down to the ledge and begun work on the .staircase than the general opinion of the party veered round till it once more favoured the jump. Collie went so far as to offer to lower us down and then risk the thirty feet. But there are few pleasures of the muscular sort keener than that afforded by cutting down a crevasse—even the joys of rock climbing pale before those of perpendicular ice—the