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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