. Round Kangchenjunga; a narrative of mountain travel and exploration . n18,000 feet. It was in this direction that I proposed tomake our first reconnaissance. From a camp at the pointat which I had left Maquignaz, we might, I thought, atany rate get high enough on the slopes of Simvu toobtain a comprehensive view of the opposite range andthe possible passes over it into Nepal. While I pondered on these to an explorer weightymatters, and studied at my leisure the stupendous massof Kangchenjunga—its grey granite walls, smoothed andpolished by the avalanches that fall from the hangingglaciers th
. Round Kangchenjunga; a narrative of mountain travel and exploration . n18,000 feet. It was in this direction that I proposed tomake our first reconnaissance. From a camp at the pointat which I had left Maquignaz, we might, I thought, atany rate get high enough on the slopes of Simvu toobtain a comprehensive view of the opposite range andthe possible passes over it into Nepal. While I pondered on these to an explorer weightymatters, and studied at my leisure the stupendous massof Kangchenjunga—its grey granite walls, smoothed andpolished by the avalanches that fall from the hangingglaciers that cling on its loftiest crest, the long series ofdelicate curves in which that crest rises through 9000 feetof vertical height from the gap at its eastern base to thedouble summit—a change came over the scene, the heavenwas troubled; a thin veil of mist blurred, but did not atfirst hide the mountain outlines.^ The sky, which had ^ See the photographs taken on this day, which are also valuable as showingthe landscape with the summer snow-level in its usual ^ OfTH£ or ( UNIV THE ZEMU GLEN AND GLACIER 115 been deep blue, turned pale, then grey, then almost yellow,while dark, evil-looking streaks of vapour, not the ordinaryhonest, shining cumuli of noon, hung about the a cloudlet pushed its unwelcome nose throughthe 19,300 feet gap, then retreated and vanished. But itwas soon followed by others which persevered. The air,even in the middle of the glacier, where as a rule there issome sparkle, was perfectly still, and grew strangely closeand oppressive. The sun looked sick, and was surroundedby a lurid ring tinged with faint prismatic colours, strangeiridescences such as Tintoretto spreads about his Christin Judgment. I cannot pretend that these celestial appearancesframed themselves into any positive symbol. Had Ipossessed the imagination of some of my friends, Imight perhaps have recognised the tutelary Demon ofKangchenjunga, glaring at the intruder o
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