So it always is with
mountaineers when hard beset. Running hard and jumping, holding every
minute of the remaining daylight, poor as it was, precious, we doggedly
persevered and tried to hope that every difficult crevasse we overcame
would prove to be the last of its kind. But on the contrary, as we
advanced they became more deadly trying.
At length our way was barred by a very wide and straight crevasse, which
I traced rapidly northward a mile or so without finding a crossing or
hope of one; then down the glacier about as far, to where it united with
another uncrossable crevasse. In all this distance of perhaps two miles
there was only one place where I could possibly jump it, but the width
of this jump was the utmost I dared attempt, while the danger of
slipping on the farther side was so great that I was loath to try it.
Furthermore, the side I was on was about a foot higher than the other,
and even with this advantage the crevasse seemed dangerously wide. One
is liable to underestimate the width of crevasses where the magnitudes
in general are great, I therefore stared at this one mighty keenly,
estimating its width and the shape of the edge on the farther side,
until I thought that I could jump it if necessary, but that in case I
should be compelled to jump back from the lower side I might fail.
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