By this time we had passed the snow and were come to the edge of the ice
cap that is made by the melting of the snow with the heat of the inner
fires, or perhaps by that of the sun in hot seasons, I know not, and
its freezing in the winter months or in the cold of the nights. At least
there is such a cap on Xaca, measuring nearly a mile in depth, which
lies between the snow and the black rim of the crater. Up this ice
climbed de Garcia, and the task is not of the easiest, even for one of
untroubled mind, for a man must step from crack to crack or needle
to needle of rough ice, that stand upon the smooth surface like the
bristles on a hog's back, and woe to him if one break or if he slip, for
then, as he falls, very shortly the flesh will be filed from his bones
by the thousands of sword-like points over which he must pass in his
descent towards the snow. Indeed, many times I feared greatly lest this
should chance to de Garcia, for I did not desire to lose my vengeance
thus. Therefore twice when I saw him in danger I shouted to him, telling
him where to put his feet, for now I was within twenty paces of
him, and, strange to say, he obeyed me without question, forgetting
everything in his terror of instant death. But for myself I had no fear,
for I knew that I should not fall, though the place was one which I had
surely shrunk from climbing at any other time.
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