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138 THE EXPLORATIUX OF THE CAUCASUS splendid fence of sjalintered granite pinnacles, 14,000 feet high, a Gymnasium which may some day serve as a rival of the Chamonix Needles. The ridge on which we were fell to the east of us in most formidable precipices towards the Zea ice- falls : there are two, one from each snow-reservoir. We had mastered the orography, and were beginning to get tired of marking time, when a happy thought struck Kaspar Maurer. He seized a stone and TUK LUWEH ICE-IALL OF THE ZEA GLACIER heaved it out a certain distance into the centre of the ice-gully we were sku'ting, where the sur- face was less glittering. There was enough snow, we judged from the result, to venture on a direct descent. Down this snow, as on a ladder, we crept backwards, moving one at a time, and driving in the staffs of our axes to the head at every step. The Bergschrund , or great moat below the wall, might have been impassable later in the season. As it was, we had each in turn to take a flying leap into the feather-bed of fortunately soft snow that lay beneath it. For the light- weights it was a pleasant drop, but at least one climber imbedded himself so deeply that he had to be tenderly dug out, like a precious, newly-found Greek statue at Olympia, from the superincumbent material. Then we lunched luxuriously, under the shadow and shelter of the over- hanging upper lip of the snow-trench, secure from all that might fall from above. The southern ice-fall of the Zea Glacier we did not find formidable, nor did Mr. ]\Iummery, in the foUowmg year, meet with any serious obstacles in the northern. M. de
THE AJ)A1 KliUKU GROUP 139 Dt'cliy, however, had a had time, and it must be remembered by all Caucasian clinil)ers and critics that the snow and ice conditions vary in dift'erent seasons far more than in the Alps. In 1887 and 1889, I found the snows greatly altered, and in 1890 again, on the Laila, Herr Merzbacher's experiences were very dift'erent from mine of the previous year.^ After a very enjoyable halt we set out, but by keeping entirely to the left of our ice -fall, we almost completely evaded its seracs, and soon found ourselves at the spot where the two cascades unite. The rope could now l)e thrown off, and we wei^e able to run along the broken glacier and slide swiftly down the snow- banks beside a last fall, where the ice bent slightly to the north. Here we came on a meadow and water, a fine site for a bivouac. But we had more ice and moraine before us. Some of us clunc to the glacier, others tried the moraine ; I do not know which fared worse ; at any rate, the moraine party came in last. The two who first reached smooth ground were suddenly aware of a white tent pitched a few hundred yards from the terminal moraine. We hastily assumed it must be Signor Sella's camp ; visions of afternoon-tea rose before us. I trust I shall not mention tea too often. If I do, may it be remembered that tea of necessity takes the place in a Caucasian journey that ' Bouvier ' occupies in the records of mountaineering nearer home. We hurried on, counting on a cordial reception from our comrade or his Italian followers, whom we had met at Vladikavkaz. But the tent proved empty ; its furniture was not European ; there was no sign of a photographic outfit. Presently an elderly Ossete came in sight, hurrying up in the greatest alarm. He obviously looked on us as a party of unusually dare-de\il rol)bers, on liis property as lost, and on his own days as probably numbered. His face did not recover its com- posure so long as we were in sight. Captain Powell ascertained from him that he was there for his health, undergoing a ' cure ' ' Our pass is seen in the illustration (from a photograph of M. de Diechj'), immediately east of a rock-tower on the skyline. A more iiracticable passage may possibly be found a few hundred yards farther west.
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138 THE EXPLORATIUX OF THE CAUCASUS<br />
splendid fence of sjalintered granite pinnacles, 14,000 feet high,<br />
a Gymnasium which may some day serve as a rival of the<br />
Chamonix Needles. The ridge on which we were fell to the<br />
east of us in most formidable precipices towards the Zea ice-<br />
falls : there are two, one from each snow-reservoir.<br />
We had mastered the orography, and were beginning to get<br />
tired of marking time, when a happy thought struck Kaspar<br />
Maurer. He seized a stone and<br />
TUK LUWEH ICE-IALL OF THE ZEA GLACIER<br />
heaved it out a certain distance<br />
into the centre of the ice-gully<br />
we were sku'ting, where the sur-<br />
face was less glittering. There<br />
was enough snow, we judged<br />
from the result, to venture on<br />
a direct descent. Down this<br />
snow, as on a ladder, we crept<br />
backwards, moving one at a<br />
time, and driving in the staffs<br />
of our axes to the head at<br />
every step.<br />
The Bergschrund ,<br />
or great moat below the wall,<br />
might have been impassable<br />
later in the season. As it was,<br />
we had each in turn to take a<br />
flying leap into the feather-bed<br />
of fortunately soft snow that<br />
lay beneath it. For the light-<br />
weights it was a pleasant drop,<br />
but at least one climber imbedded himself so deeply that he<br />
had to be tenderly dug out, like a precious, newly-found Greek<br />
statue at Olympia, from the superincumbent material. Then we<br />
lunched luxuriously, under the shadow and shelter of the over-<br />
hanging upper lip of the snow-trench, secure from all that might<br />
fall from above. The southern ice-fall of the Zea Glacier we did<br />
not find formidable, nor did Mr. ]\Iummery, in the foUowmg<br />
year, meet with any serious obstacles in the northern. M. de
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