Untitled

274 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
The way, if there were one, lay up steep slopes of rocks, snow,
and ice. If the ice entailed step-cutting, the task would have
been endless ; if soft snow lay on ice, extremely dangerous. I
did not think the chance of finding the slopes in good condition
justified the attempt, and we abided by the comparatively certain
route I had laid down from old photographs.
We turned to our right and ploughed up the terrace. The
only variety was afibrded by a short, but steep, bank of ice. The
loose snow on it had to be scraped off, and good steps made for
the descent. It was bitterly cold in the shadow, but I had no
suspicion
at the time that the cold was of a kind to make frost-
bites probable. After crossing a tmy plain we pushed our leader
over the Bergschrimd, and he tugged us up a last bank, on the
top of which we broke through
a cornice and came out into
glorious sunshine. It was 9 a.m. ; we had been over eight
hours clinibino- from our bivouac. We sat down to lunch on a
little terrace, which lies at the base of the long southern ridge of
Tetnuld, and is very noticeable from the Latpai'i Pass.
The prospect was glorious. The upper glens and soiu'ces of the
Ingur lay at our very
feet. We could have cast our shoes on
the towers of Adish ; we looked across the face of the great cliffs
and ice-faUs which are opposite the traveller on the Latpari Pass.
We commanded the great neve of the Adish Glacier, which spreads
out between Tetnidd and the rock -peak called Lakutsa on the new
map, and is backed by Katuintau and the western top of Janga — a
shining tableland, never before looked down on save by the stars.
This was the decisive moment of the day.
I examined
anxiously the long lovely ridge which curved down to us from
the still distant summit. It promised well ; it was fairly broad,
nowhere very steep, and but little ice glittered on its crest. Still,
it was long, and the softness of the snow made it seem longer.
every step the leader sank over his ankles. Consequently leading
was exhausting, and we had to change frequently. From time to
time there was a little variety, a few yards of ice or a sudden steep
rise, which forced us to zigzag and use our axes. Once we were
driven on to the flat top of a snow-cornice, a cornice so prodigious
At