Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 286 (Color Image)

0286	Among the Celestials : vol.1

240 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. IX.

skin of my foot was exposed, and I had to

hobble along on my toes or my heels to keep

the worn-out part by the balls of my feet from

the sharp stones and rocky débris of the glacier.

On account of this tenderness of my feet, I was

always slipping, too, falling and bruising my

elbows, or cutting my hands on the rough

stones in trying to save myself.

All that day we plodded wearily along down

the glacier, till at sunset we came upon a little

clump of fir trees on the mountain-side. Here

we were able to make up as big a fire as we

wished, and if we could only have had more

to eat, would have been perfectly happy ; but

there was now no meat left, and tea and biscuit

was all we had. Next day we reached the end

of the glacier, and sleeping that night in a cave,

on the following day made our last march into

Askoli. Never did I think we were going to

reach that spot ! By midday we saw its green

trees and fields in the distance ; but I could

only drag myself slowly along, as the way was

rough and stony, and I was footsore and ex-

hausted. At last, however, at four o'clock, we

really entered the village. We sent for the

headman, and told him to bring us some food.

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