Untitled
Untitled Untitled
94 THE EXI'LOKATION UF THE CAUCASUS in the hollow, swept round us, and for the next two hours we were enveloped in a dense fog. A long snow-filled gully brought us to the bottom of the gorge, of which we could see but little, owing to the unfortunate state of the atmosphere. It must be of the most savage description. The torrent was buried under the avalanches of many winters ; huge walls of crag loomed through the mist and pressed us so closely on either side that, but for the path atforded by the avalanche-snows, we should have been puzzled to find a means of exit. This aid at last failed us ; the stream burst free and tumbled into a gorge. After a laborious scramble for some distance over huge boulders, we found it impossible to follow the water any farther, and made a sharp but short ascent to the right, whei'e our leader happily hit on a faint track, which led us by steep zigzags into the same glen again at a lower point. After moi'e than once missing and re-finding the path, we rounded an angle of the valley, and the fog having lifted somewhat, saw that we were close to the junction of our toiTent with that from the Devdorak Glacier. On the grassy brow between the two streams cows and goats were grazing, and as it was now 7.45 p.m., we debated on the propriety of stopping for the night. The question was decided by the information we got from the herdsmen, an old man and two boys, who proved to be very decent fellows. All communication, except by pantomime, was of course impossible ; but necessity sharpens the wits, and we gathered from them, without much difficulty, that the Devdorak torrent was bridgeless and big, and that they had fresh milk and Avould allow us to share their shelter. It was only a hollow between a low wall and a partially overhanging clifi", which was but a poor protection against the attacks of inquisitive sheep and goats, who invaded us several times during the night, and succeeded in carrying off and eating my gloves and gaiters. Despite these inroads and a Scotch mist, which fell pretty heavily from time to time, we managed, with stones for pillows and our mackintoshes spread over us, to snatch a good deal of sleep. The prepai'ations for our start the next morning did not take long. The chief herdsman accompanied us to the Devdorak
KASBEK AND THE OSSETE DLSTIUCT 95 torrent, which at this time of day was fordable ; and boys vohmteered to go with us to the post-station. one of the A well-marked path led us above the united torrents ; on a neighbouring brow, we were told, stands a pile of stones, resembling an altar in shape, and covered witli the horns of chamois and wild goats. This s])ot is held sacred bv the Chetchen inliabitants of the neiohbouringf village, and once a year they repair hither, sing strange chants, and make offerings to the local deities. Ere long the defile of the Da rial opened beneath us, and a short descent brought us to the Terek. OSSETE SHEPHERDS Our return did not create much excitement at first at the Kasbek post-station. The inmates seemed to take it as a matter of course that we had not really been to the top, but equally as a matter of course that we should say we had. We roused up our inter- preter, who, still unable to shake off an attack of fever, was in a very gloomy mood, and through him despatched a messenger to look for our porters, whom we had left encamped at 11,000 feet the previous morning. The commission was quickly executed. In the evening the porters returned, bringing in safety all our belongings, including a pair of snow-spectacles, which had been mislaid in a start in the
- Page 62 and 63: 44 THE EXl'LOKATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 64 and 65: 46 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 66 and 67: 48 THE EXPLORxVTION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 68 and 69: 50 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 70 and 71: 52 THE EXPLOKATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 72 and 73: 54 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 74 and 75: 36 THE EXPLORATTON" OF THE CATICASr
- Page 76 and 77: 58 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 78 and 79: 60 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 80 and 81: 62 THE EXTLUliATlUX UF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 82 and 83: 64 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 84 and 85: 66 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 86 and 87: 68 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 88 and 89: 70 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 90 and 91: 72 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 92 and 93: 7-i THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 94 and 95: 76 THE EXL'LORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 96 and 97: 78 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 98 and 99: CHAPTER IV KASBEK AND THE OSSETE DI
- Page 100 and 101: 82 THE EXTLOPxATION OF TTIE CAUCASU
- Page 102 and 103: 84 THE EXTLUKATIOX OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 104 and 105: 86 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 106 and 107: 88 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 108 and 109: 90 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 110 and 111: 92 THE EXPLORATIOX UF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 114 and 115: 96 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 116 and 117: 98 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 118 and 119: 100 THE EXPLOllATJO.N Ui' THE CAUCA
- Page 120 and 121: 102 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 122 and 123: CHAPTER V THE MAMISON PASS AND GEBI
- Page 124 and 125: 106 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 126 and 127: 108 THE EX?L(^T^ATTON OF THE CAUCAS
- Page 128 and 129: 110 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 130 and 131: 112 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 132 and 133: lU THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 134 and 135: UG THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASrjS
- Page 136 and 137: 118 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 138 and 139: 120 THE EXi'LORATION UF THE CAUCASU
- Page 140 and 141: 122 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 142 and 143: 124 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 144 and 145: CHAPTER VI THE ADAl KHOKH GROUP Ili
- Page 146 and 147: 128 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 148 and 149: 130 THE EXI'LOKATIUN OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 150 and 151: 132 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 152 and 153: 134 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 154 and 155: 136 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 156 and 157: 138 THE EXPLORATIUX OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 158 and 159: 140 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 160 and 161: 142 THE EXPLOKATJUX OF THE CAUCASUS
94 THE EXI'LOKATION UF THE CAUCASUS<br />
in the hollow, swept round us, and for the next two hours we were<br />
enveloped in a dense fog. A long snow-filled gully brought us to<br />
the bottom of the gorge, of which we could see but little, owing to<br />
the unfortunate state of the atmosphere. It must be of the most<br />
savage description. The torrent was buried under the avalanches<br />
of many winters ; huge walls of crag loomed through the mist<br />
and pressed us so closely on either side that, but for the path<br />
atforded by the avalanche-snows, we should have been puzzled to<br />
find a means of exit. This aid at last failed us ; the stream burst<br />
free and tumbled into a gorge. After a laborious scramble for<br />
some distance over huge boulders, we found it impossible to<br />
follow the water any farther, and made a sharp but short ascent to<br />
the right, whei'e our leader happily hit on a faint track, which led<br />
us by steep zigzags into the same glen again at a lower point.<br />
After moi'e than once missing and re-finding the path, we rounded<br />
an angle of the valley, and the fog having lifted somewhat, saw<br />
that we were close to the junction of our toiTent with that from<br />
the Devdorak Glacier. On the grassy brow between the two<br />
streams cows and goats were grazing, and as it was now 7.45 p.m.,<br />
we debated on the propriety of stopping for the night. The<br />
question was decided by the information we got from the herdsmen,<br />
an old man and two boys, who proved to be very decent fellows.<br />
All communication, except by pantomime, was of course impossible ;<br />
but necessity sharpens the wits, and we gathered from them,<br />
without much difficulty, that the Devdorak torrent was bridgeless<br />
and big, and that they had fresh milk and Avould allow us to share<br />
their shelter. It was only a hollow between a low wall and a<br />
partially overhanging clifi", which was but a poor protection against<br />
the attacks of inquisitive sheep and goats, who invaded us several<br />
times during the night, and succeeded in carrying off and eating<br />
my gloves and gaiters. Despite these inroads and a Scotch mist,<br />
which fell pretty heavily from time to time, we managed, with<br />
stones for pillows and our mackintoshes spread over us, to snatch<br />
a good deal of sleep.<br />
The prepai'ations for our start the next morning did not take<br />
long. The chief herdsman accompanied us to the Devdorak