from the névé basin to the southeast, the general opinion was that it seemed almost certain that the mountain descends in sheer precipices to Lake Valley.
From Mount Douglas there runs a rocky ridge in a southwesterly direction, containing two well-marked gaps. From the first of these, which is well under the mass of the South Tower, the attempt was made. The gap was reached in 33½ hours from the camp; first over the glacier flowing northwest from the base of the peak, the last slope being very steep and covered with treacherous snow, and then across a little rocky bay.
From the gap a rather repellant looking chimney leads upward. It was tried in turn but without success, and was not conquered until Edouard Feuz stood upon his nephew's shoulders and he on Mr. Earle's. Another short but difficult crack led to a good platfrom, which, by the aid of sundry ropes, was attained by all. Here a neck of easy rock connected with the base of some steep slabs. The party crawled up these for a short distance with but few handholds and no anchorage; and then came the impassé: the only possible way up was by a short but slightly overhanging chimney.
Had the rock been firm, or had there been any possibility of giving the leader a shoulder up, the difficulty would have been overcome; but every hold broke away as it was tried and the nature of the place precluded any possibility of assisting the leader.
Greatly disappointed, the party was compelled to retreat and descended to the gap, leaving eighty feet of Buckingham's best rope hanging from the chimney for the benefit of the next party.
According to the measurements of the Topographical Survey the height of the South Tower is 11,220 feet,
