Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus (1908).djvu/33

Rh So far we have had a little climb on a small rock peak.

Crossed the Mazeno Pass (a native pass); crossed thence into the Diamarai Valley (uninhabited, but beautiful in the extreme); glorious trees (mostly birch and pine); thickets of wild roses; heaps of flowers and undergrowth.

After a day's rest we came back by a very long pass, affording one or two bits of interesting rock-climbing. Unluckily it led out the wrong side of the chain, and we had to finish up with recrossing the Mazeno, as we had no food reserves. We were from 15,000 to 18,000 ft. up all day long, and felt as fresh as daisies, so I don't think we are going to be bothered much by the rarity of the air.

We discovered an absolutely safe way up Nanga. Easy glacier, up which coolies can carry our camp, and thence onward, a broad snow and rock ridge right up to the top.

Bruce came up yesterday, and is awfully jovial; he brought up the two Ghurkas lent us by Gen. Lockhart, so our camp is most extensive.

We are going to make our way across to the Diamarai, doing one or two good passes, and shall then begin operations on Nanga. I feel fairly confident of getting up, and you need feel no anxiety of any sort.

The weather out here, from a Swiss point of view, is almost perfect, though as clouds and a