who sang as sweetly as before. Our magnanimous leader and president was gifted with unusual vigour, and appeared as if he had discovered and drank of some unknown fountain of youth. He flirted and sang, and frequently told amusing stories of his already long and uneventful life.
Time passed rapidly, though we travelled but leisurely, and at length we got a glimpse of the frozen expanse ahead.
Here a separation took place, for it was decided that Yondozi, myself, and a few of the young men should proceed, lightly equipped, to examine the icefield, while the main body of the expedition went along the heights in a different direction towards its destination, the locality shattered by the earthquake, where it was arranged they would await our return.
Some little time after parting from the others, I found that I had forgotten the small waterproof case containing my diary, so I lost no time in going back for it, while Yondozi waited. On my return, I observed that I could not understand how I had forgotten it.
"It may have all the better luck," he jestingly replied. "But what do you mean to do with it?" he asked.
