ht did
occur to me. But as no man is bound to discredit his own relic, and such
is certainly not the practice of the Armenian Church, I will not disturb
my readers' minds or yield to the rationalizing tendencies of the age by
suggesting it.

Fearing that the ridge by which we were mounting would become too
precipitous higher up, I turned off to the left, and crossed a long,
narrow snow-slope that descended between this ridge and another line of
rocks more to the west. It was firm, and just steep enough to make steps
cut in the snow comfortable, though not necessary; so the ice-axe was
brought into use. The Cossack who accompanied me--there was but one now,
for the other Cossack had gone away to the right some time before, and
was quite lost to view--had brought my friend's alpenstock, and was
developing a considerable capacity for wielding it. He followed nimbly
across; but the Kurd stopped on the edge of the snow, and stood peering
and hesitating, like one who shivers on the plank at a bathing-place,
nor could the jeering cries of the Cossack induce him to venture on the
treacherous surface. Meanwhile, we who had crossed were examining the
broken cliff which rose above us. It looked not exactly dangerous, but a
little troublesome, as if it might want some care to get over or
through. So after a short rest I stood up, touched my Cossack's arm, and
pointed upward. He reconnoitred the cliff with his eye, and shook his
head. Then, with various gestures of hopefulness, I clapped him on the
back, and made as though to pull him along. He looked at the rocks again
and pointed, to them, stroked his knees, turned up and pointed to the
soles of his boots, which certainly were suffering from the lava, and
once more solemnly shook his head. This was conclusive: so I conveyed to
him my pantomime that he had better go back to the bivouac where my
friend was, rather than remain here alone, and that I hoped to meet him
there in the evening; took an affectionate farewell, and turned towards
the rocks. There was evidently nothing for it but to go on alone. It was
half-past ten o'clock, and the height about thirteen thousand six
hundred feet, Little Ararat now lying nearly one thousand feet below
the eye.

* * * * *

Not knowing how far the ridge I was following might continue passable, I
was obliged to stop frequently to survey the rocks above, and erect
little piles of stone to mark the way. This not on