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90 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS which in the passage had got somewhat slack, was discovered to have hitched itself round one of the big icicles in the crack. Tucker having, from the position in which he was standing, in vain tried to release it, began to cut steps downwards to the upper lip of the crevasse. At no time is it an easy thing to cut steps in ice beneath you ; try to do it in a hurry, and what happened in this case is almost sure to occur. The step-cutter ovei'balanced himself, his feet slipped out of the shallow footholds, and he shot at once over the chasm. Of course the rope immediate!}^ tightened with a severe jerk on Moore and myself, who, though very insecurely placed, were fortunately able to resist the strain. Tucker had fallen spread-eagle fashion with his head down the slope, and we had to hold for many seconds before he could work himself round and regain his footing. The escape was a narrow one, and we had reason to be thankful that neither the rope nor our axes had failed us at so critical a moment. So starthng an occurrence naturally shook our nerves somewhat, but little was said, and our order ha%"ing been re-established, we attacked the exceedingly steep ice-slope which separated us from the gap between the two summits. For the next four hours there was scarcely one easy step. The ice, when not bare, was thinly coated with snow. A long, steep ice-slope is bad enough in the first state, as mountain-climbers know : but it is infinitely worse in the second. In bare ice a secure step may be cut ; through loose, incoherent snow it cannot. Devouassoud went through the form of cutting, but it was of little use to the two front men, and none at all to those in the rear. In many places we found the safest plan was to crawl up on our hands and knees, clinging with feet and ice-axes to the slippery staircase. It has always remained a mystery to us how we got from step to ste]) without a slip. The difficulties of the feat were increased by a bitter wind, which swept across the slope in fitful blasts of intense fury, dri%ang the snow in blinding showers into our faces as we crouched down for shelter, and numbing our hands to such a degree that we could scarcely retain hold of our axes. Time passes rapidly in such circumstances, and it was not
KASBEK AND TlIK OSSETK lUSTRTCT 91 until 11 A.M., when Devouas.soud was again exhausted by the labour of leading, that we gained the saddle between the two summits. There was no doubt now that the eastern peak was the highest. At this we w^ere well pleased, as, in such a wind as was raging, the passage of" the exceedingly narrow ridge leading to the western summit would have been no pleasant task. After snatching a morsel of food, we left Devouassoud to recover himself, and started by ourselves. Tucker leading. The final climb was not difficult ; a broad bank of hard snow led to some rocks ; above lay more snow, succeeded by a second and larger patch of rocks (where Devouassoud rejoined us), which in their turn merged in the final snow-cupola of the mountain. A few steps brought us to the edge of the southern cliffs, along which we mounted. The snow-ridge ceased to ascend, and then fell away before us. It Avas just midday when we saw beneath us the valley of the Terek, and knew that the highest point of Kasbek was under our feet. The cold owing to the high wdnd would not allows us to stop bn the actual crest, but we sat down luilf a dozen feet below it, and tried to take in as much as possible of the vast panorama before us. Clouds had by this time risen in the valleys and covered the great northern plain, but the mountain-peaks were for the most part clear. The apparent grandeur of the ranges to the east was a surprise. Group beyond group of snowy peaks stretched away towards the far-off Basardjusi (14,722 feet), the monarch of the Eastern Caucasus. Nearer, and therefore more conspicuous, was the fino head of Tebulos (14,781 feet). On the western horizon we eagerly sought for Elbruz, but it was not to be recognised ; the summit was undoubtedly veiled by clouds, since S. Sella distinctly saw Kasbek from Elbruz. Except in the immediate vicinity of Kasbek, there seemed to be but few and small glaciers nearer than the Adai Khokh group, on the farther side of the Ardon valley. After a stay of about ten minutes we quitted the summit. It was impossible to leave any permanent trace of our visit. We could not spare an ice-axe to fix upon the snow-dome, and the rocks were too big to use for building a snow-man. In a quarter of an hour we regained the gap, and then held a council. From the
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90 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS<br />
which in the passage had got somewhat slack, was discovered to have<br />
hitched itself round one of the big icicles in the crack. Tucker<br />
having, from the position in which he was standing,<br />
in vain tried<br />
to release it, began to cut steps downwards to the upper lip of<br />
the crevasse. At no time is it an easy thing to cut steps in ice<br />
beneath you ; try to do it in a hurry, and what happened<br />
in this<br />
case is almost sure to occur. The step-cutter ovei'balanced himself,<br />
his feet slipped out of the shallow footholds, and he shot at once<br />
over the chasm. Of course the rope immediate!}^ tightened with a<br />
severe jerk on Moore and myself, who, though very insecurely<br />
placed, were fortunately able to resist the strain. Tucker had<br />
fallen spread-eagle fashion with his head down the slope, and we<br />
had to hold for many seconds before he could work himself round<br />
and regain his footing.<br />
The escape was a narrow one, and we had reason to be<br />
thankful that neither the rope nor our axes had failed us at so<br />
critical a moment. So starthng an occurrence naturally shook our<br />
nerves somewhat, but little was said, and our order ha%"ing been<br />
re-established, we attacked the exceedingly steep ice-slope which<br />
separated us from the gap<br />
between the two summits. For the<br />
next four hours there was scarcely one easy step. The ice, when<br />
not bare, was thinly coated with snow. A long, steep ice-slope is<br />
bad enough in the first state, as mountain-climbers know : but it is<br />
infinitely worse in the second. In bare ice a secure step may be<br />
cut ; through loose, incoherent snow it cannot. Devouassoud went<br />
through the form of cutting,<br />
but it was of little use to the two<br />
front men, and none at all to those in the rear. In many places<br />
we found the safest plan was to crawl up on our hands and knees,<br />
clinging with feet and ice-axes to the slippery<br />
staircase. It has<br />
always remained a mystery to us how we got from step to ste])<br />
without a slip. The difficulties of the feat were increased by a<br />
bitter wind, which swept across the slope in fitful blasts of intense<br />
fury, dri%ang the snow in blinding showers into our faces as we<br />
crouched down for shelter, and numbing our hands to such a<br />
degree that we could scarcely retain hold of our axes.<br />
Time passes rapidly in such circumstances, and it was not