Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus (1908).djvu/190

184 more or less essential to progress. It is needless to say that the removal of this frozen snow was a matter of great difficulty, and was only effected by using my elbow as an ice-axe—a painful process and one, moreover, apt to be injurious to the joint. However, after many efforts and much gasping for breath, I reached the top of the rock, and Miss Bristow then came round from the Camera tower and ascended the crack. I did not notice that she had two ropes on, and carelessly untying her, I let the end slip, thinking that the other end of it was round my own waist. Unluckily it was the rope connecting her with Slingsby, and my carelessness thus cut him off from us. In consequence, the axes, camera, and other baggage, could not be hauled up direct from the col, but had to be carried round to the "take off," to which alone my rope could be lowered.

These rocks are, at the best, none too easy, and for a very heavily-laden man are hardly practicable. However, Slingsby proved equal to the difficulty, and in some extraordinary way managed to carry the piled-up baggage, including my coat, to the ledge below the crack. When the whole mass was duly tied on to the rope, and I had to pull it up, I was a good deal impressed with the weight.

The next stage in the ascent is usually easy, and I took the knapsack and proceeded to attack it, but on reaching the little gully that leads up to