Indeed, as it happened, on our way back to the cave we
came across a small herd of ewes feeding upon the mosses in a sheltered
spot where in summer a streamlet ran. Of these we were so fortunate as
to kill two, for no sportsman had ever come here, and they were tame
enough, poor things. As meat would keep for ever in that temperature,
we had now sufficient food to last us for a fortnight, and dragging the
animals down the snow slopes to the cave, we skinned them by the dying
light.
That evening we supped upon fresh mutton, a great luxury, which the
monk enjoyed as much as we did, since, whatever might be his views as to
taking life, he liked mutton. Then we turned into the tent and huddled
ourselves together for warmth, as the temperature must have been some
degrees below zero. The old monk rested well enough, but neither Leo nor
I slept over much, for wonder as to what we might see from the top of
that mountain banished sleep.
Next morning at the dawn, the weather being still favourable, our
companion returned to the monastery, whither we said we would follow him
in a day or two.
Now at last we were alone, and without wasting an instant began our
ascent of the peak. It was many thousand feet high and in certain places
steep enough, but the deep, frozen snow made climbing easy, so that by
midday we reached the top. Hence the view was magnificent.
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