I at length relieved myself, by compressing the snow till it became sufficiently hard to bear my weight. I then planted my feet into it, and reached the surface. We turned back, and endeavoured to proceed by a valley which lay behind the mountain. My feet by this time were frozen, never to recover; and I was so ill able to ascend, that I was frequently blown over by the wind, and sometimes driven a considerable way down the hill. Exhausted by these fruitless trials to keep up with the rest, I became totally unable to proceed, and was left to my fate. I laid myself down on the snow in a state of despair. Having recovered a little, I resolved to make another attempt to follow the track of my companions, but had not proceeded far when I met them coming down the hill, which had proved to be impassable. We now set off on our return to the hut, but were soon interrupted by a steep rock, which the rising tide prevented us from passing. We had no resource, but to wait till low water next day, and to pass the night where we were. This was a most unfortunate circumstance for me, for had I reached the hut, and got my feet dried, they would in all likelihood have recovered. It blew hard, and the night was piercingly cold; we therefore returned to the valley, where there was at least some shelter from the wind. The Russians, who knew the effects of cold, informed us that the consequences of lying down would be fatal. Although well aware of this, I was so much overcome by cold and fatigue, that I several times dropt asleep upon my feet; but my companions, who had not suffered so much, took care to arouse me. Next morning we again set off for the hut, and met with no interruption till we came to the reef where I had got my feet wet. In consequence of the high wind, the swell was heavier than it had been the day before, and my feet were so powerless that a wave washed me completely off the reef into deep water. It was fortunately towards the shore, and on the returning wave I recovered my footing, and succeeded in getting over. I followed my companions as well as my exhausted strength and the state of my feet would permit, but fell considerably behind, and had entirely lost sight of them, when my progress was impeded by a projecting crag, through which a natural perforation formed the only passage. The entrance was elevated a considerable way from the ground, and that part of the rock over which it was necessary to scramble, was nearly perpendicular, and almost covered with ice. With a little assistance I could have easily got over; but situated as I was, my own exertions were of little avail. My feet were of no use in climbing, and I was obliged to drag myself up by my hands, in doing which they also were frozen. After many ineffectual attempts, I had, as I thought, gained the top; but when I had tried to lay hold of a projection in the rock, my fingers refused to perform their office, and I fell to the ground.