Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 276 (Color Image)

0276	Among the Celestials : vol.1

230 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. IX.

they were hewn, so that by the time those of

us who were a few paces behind Wali reached

a step the ice was just covered over with water

and this made it still more slippery for our soft

leather boots, which had now become almost

slimy on the surface. It was under these cir-

cumstances that my Ladaki servant Drogpa

gave in. He was shaking all over in an ex-

aggerated shiver, and so unsteady, I thought

he would slip at any moment and perhaps carry

us all with him. We were but at the beginning

of our trials. We had not even begun the

actual descent yet, but were merely crossing

to a point from which we should make it. And

to have such a man with us might have en-

dangered the safety of the whole party ; so I

told him he might return to the ponies and go

round with them. It rather upset me to see

a born hillman so affected, but I pretended

not to care a bit and laughed it off, pour en-

courager les autres, as the thing had to be

done.

At last we reached the far side of the slope,

and found ourselves on a projecting piece of

rock protruding through the ice. Here we

could rest, but only with the prospect of still

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