Previous - Next

fortune, by entering upon this unknown world, or give up life in the
attempt. In fact, I felt that life would be no longer valuable if I were
to have seen so great a prize and refused to grasp at the possible
profits therefrom.

I had still an hour of good daylight during which I might begin my
descent on to some suitable camping-ground, but there was not a moment to
be lost. At first I got along rapidly, for I was on the snow, and sank
into it enough to save me from falling, though I went forward straight
down the mountain side as fast as I could; but there was less snow on
this side than on the other, and I had soon done with it, getting on to a
coomb of dangerous and very stony ground, where a slip might have given
me a disastrous fall. But I was careful with all my speed, and got
safely to the bottom, where there were patches of coarse grass, and an
attempt here and there at brushwood: what was below this I could not see.
I advanced a few hundred yards farther, and found that I was on the brink
of a frightful precipice, which no one in his senses would attempt
descending. I bethought me, however, to try the creek which drained the
coomb, and see whether it might not have made itself a smoother way. In
a few minutes I found myself at the upper end of a chasm in the rocks,
something like Twll Dhu, only on a greatly larger scale; the creek had
found its way into it, and had worn a deep channel through a material
which appeared softer than that upon the other side of the mountain. I
believe it must have been a different geological formation, though I
regret to say that I cannot tell what it was.

I looked at this rift in great doubt; then I went a little way on either
side of it, and found myself looking over the edge of horrible precipices
on to the river, which roared some four or five thousand feet below me. I
dared not think of getting down at all, unless I committed myself to the
rift, of which I was hopeful when I reflected that the rock was soft, and
that the water might have worn its channel tolerably evenly through the
whole extent. The darkness was increasing with every minute, but I
should have twilight for another half-hour, so I went into the chasm
(though by no means without fear), and resolved to return and camp, and
try some other path next day, should I come to any serious difficulty. In
about five minutes I had completely lost my head; the side of the rift
became hundreds of feet in height, and overhung so that I could not see
the sky. It was full of rocks, and I had many falls and bruises. I was
wet through from falling into the water, of which there was no great
volume, but it had such force that I could do nothing against it; once I
had to leap down a not inconsiderable waterfall into a deep pool below,
and my swag was so heavy that I was very nearly drowned. I had indeed a
hair's-breadth escape; but, as luck would have it, Providence was on my

Previous - Next