Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 289 (Color Image)

0289	Among the Celestials : vol.1

CHAP. ix.] BETWEEN TWO GLACIERS. 243

of a mountain whose summit was supposed to

be the abode of a guardian deity, they, although

Mohammedans, sacrificed a bullock to this

deity, and prayed and salaamed to it. As they

subsequently ate the bullock, and as I paid for

it, this little ceremony was doubtless very

helpful to them. At any rate, they were much

more cheerful after it, and as I now had some

new foot-gear, we were able to push along

rapidly up the Punmah glacier. But on the

third day from Askoli, opposite a camping-

ground called Skinmang, we were brought to a.

standstill. At this point the glacier flowing

down from the New Mustagh Pass joins the

Punmah glacier, and we were completely

" cornered " between the two glaciers. To

reach the pass we should have had to cross the

glacier flowing down from it ; but this we found

it impossible to do, for just at this point there

had evidently been an immense ice-slip on to

the glacier, and gigantic blocks of ice were

tumbled about one on the top of the other in a

way which made it perfectly impossible to get

any footing at all on the glacier. So we turned

round and faced for Askoli once more.

I think now of that wonderful glacier region,

R 2

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