g candle we ate a hurried breakfast, fastened
on our spiked shoes, and strapped to our backs a few indispensable
articles, leaving the rest of our baggage at the camp until our return.
Just at daybreak, 3:55 A. M., on the 4th of July, we started off on what
proved to be the hardest day's work we had ever accomplished. We struck
out at once across the broad snow-field to the second rock rib on the
right, which seemed to lead up to the only line of rocks above. The
surface of these large snow-beds had frozen during the night, so that we
had to cut steps with our ice-picks to keep from slipping down their
glassy surface. Up this ridge we slowly climbed for three weary hours,
leaping from boulder to boulder, or dragging ourselves up their
precipitous sides. The old gentleman halted frequently to rest, and showed
evident signs of weariness. "It is hard; we must take it slowly," he would
say (in German) whenever our impatience would get the better of our
prudence. At seven o'clock we reached a point about 13,500 feet, beyond
which there seemed to be nothing but the snow-covered slope, with only a
few projecting rocks along the edge of a tremendous gorge which now broke
upon our astonished gaze. Toward this we directed our course, and, an hour
later, stood upon its very verge. Our venerable companion now looked up at
the precipitous slope above us, where only some stray, projecting rocks
were left to guide us through the wilderness of snow. "Boys," said he,
despondently, "I cannot reach the top; I have not rested during the night,
and I am now falling asleep on my feet; besides, I am very much fatigued."
This came almost like a sob from a breaking heart. Although the old
gentleman was opposed to the ascent in the first instance, his old Alpine
spirit arose within him with all its former vigor when once he had started
up the mountain slope; and now, when almost in sight of the very goal, his
strength began to fail him. After much persuasion and encouragement, he
finally said that if he could get half an hour's rest and sleep, he
thought he would be able to continue. We then wrapped him up in his
greatcoat, and dug out a comfortable bed in the snow, while one of us sat
down, with back against him, to keep him from rolling down the
mountain-side.

[Illustration: NEARING THE HEAD OF THE GREAT CHASM.]

We were now on the chasm's brink, looking down into its unfathomable
depths. This gigantic rent, hundreds of feet in width and th