Untitled

20 THE EXPLORATION OE THE CAUCASUS
A. F. Mummery, witli }l. Zuiriuli of Meiringen, scaled the great
southern chff" of the second peak in the Caucasus-— if, indeed,
Dykhtau's slight advantage over Shkara is authentic—and explored
the passes at the heads of the Bezingi and Bashilsu Glaciers.
A second party, Mr. Holder, Mr. H. Woolley, and Mr. Cockin,
with Ulrieli Ahner of Grindelwald, climbed Dykhtau by its
northern ridge, Katuintau and Salj-nan Baslii, and almost climbed
Mishirgitau, and Mr. Cockin, Avho remained behind his com-
panions, had the extraordinary good fortune to add to his trophies
Shkara, the eastern peak of Janga, and the northern peak of Ushba.
The third party consisted of Mr. Clinton Dent, Mr. W. F. Donkin,
and Mr. H. Fox, with K. Streich and J.. Fischer of Meiringen. Owing
to indisposition, Dent was forced to leave his companions in Suanetia.
Donkin and Fox, with their two guides, climbed the eastern
peak of Dongusorun, and, after forcing a fine glacier pass over
the Urubashi spur, made their way along the northern side of the
chain to the foot of Koshtantau. They left their camp and
interpreter in the Dumala glen, four hours from Bezingi. with
instructions to meet them in a few days at Karaul, in the Balkar
district. They were never seen or heard of again. Their fate was
wrapped in mystery, and became not unnaturally the subject
of wild
conjecture in the country. The local officials suspected foul play,
and some of the hangers-on of officialism were perhaps too ready to
adopt a belief by which they may have had something to gain.
In 1889 Mr. Clinton Dent and I, with the assistance of Mr.
Hermann Woolley and Captain Powell of the Indian Army, set out
with three Alpine guides and Andreas Fischer, the brother of the
lost guide, to ascertain, as far as might be jaossible, the fate of our
friends. The story of our Search Exjaedition, of Mr. Woolley's ascents
of Koshtantau and Ailama with Christian Jossi, and of Captain
Powell's and my subsequent ascent of the Laila and journey through
the forests of Abkhasia, will be found in subsequent chapters.
In 1890 the Adai Khokh Group was made the principal field
of exploration. Mr. Cockin, Mr. Holder, and Mr. Mummery, with
Mr. W. J. Petherick, took part in it. Adai Khokh, Burdjula, and
Zikhvarga were climbed and photographed.