Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 284 (Color Image)

0284	Among the Celestials : vol.1

238 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. IX.

last few days had been great, and on this day

we had been on the move for eighteen hours

continuously. Now the worst was over, and I

slept with my mind at ease and happy.

But at daybreak the next morning we were

on our legs again. We had still a long way to

go before we could reach Askoli, the nearest

village, and our men remaining behind on the

pass were waiting for supplies. Yet freezing as

it was we had to start without anything to warm

us, for we could find no materials for a fire ;

but at about ten o'clock, at a point near where

our glacier joined the great Baltoro glacier, we

found an old hut, built at the time when this

route was in use, and from the fragments of

wood about we made up the first good fire we à

had had for a week past, and had a fairly m

substantial meal. But we could not indulge m

ourselves at all freely, for we were very short

of provisions. We had left with the men on

the pass all but just sufficient to carry us ~o

through to Askoli ; and a few mouthfuls of 1

meat, with some biscuit and some tea, were all

we could allow ourselves. Having eaten this

and rested for an hour, we again pushed on,

and struck the Baltoro glacier nearly opposite

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