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-TEE STARS LOOK DOWN
+===== The Stars Look Down. =====
 - Dot Butler.
-People come back from mountaineering in the Rees Valley in New Zealand and talk about the little Esquilant Bivvy on the slopes Of Mt. Earnslaw. It wasntt there when I climbed in that region some
-years ago; it was only an idea in Bert Esquilant's mind; the wild winds blew through Wright Col, as barren of human habitation as any mountain of the moon, and the timid deer :arid thz storm-wild keas saw nothing there but ice and rock and snow.
+People come back from mountaineering in the Rees Valley in New Zealand and talk about the little Esquilant Bivvy on the slopes of Mt. Earnslaw. It wasn't there when I climbed in that region some years ago; it was only an idea in Bert Esquilant's mind; the wild winds blew through Wright Col, as barren of human habitation as any mountain of the moon, and the timid deer and the storm-wild keas saw nothing there but ice and rock and snow.
-The soft moth-wings of memory brush my brow and I am back with friend Birtle contemplating one of the greatest climbs we did in the Southern Alps. West Peak of Earnslaw is not so high as the Minarets or Malte Brun (both 10,000 ft.), or Mount Cook (12,000 ft.), all of which we had climbed together the previous Christmas, West Peak is lower by 19000 ft0 but it had this incalculable charm about it, that it had seldom been climbed before. A dark cloud of mystery brooded over it - secrets, stony, silent, inhabited its gloomy fastnesses - a realm where even conjecture might not enter.
-Brilliant summer had passed; the air was sharpened with the faint sting of coming auumn - a time of turbulent wind and sudden rain - of falling leaves and ripening snow berries.
+The soft moth-wings of memory brush my brow and I am back with friend Birtle contemplating one of the greatest climbs we did in the Southern Alps. West Peak of Earnslaw is not so high as the Minarets or Malte Brun (both 10,000 ft.), or Mount Cook (12,000 ft.), all of which we had climbed together the previous Christmas. West Peak is lower by 1,000 ft. but it had this incalculable charm about it, that it had seldom been climbed before. A dark cloud of mystery brooded over it - secrets, stony, silent, inhabited its gloomy fastnesses - a realm where even conjecture might not enter.
-Below the Birley Glacier just about sundown we established a high bivvy among the gleaming snow grass. Close by was a dark,roCky waterfall chasm which seemed possessed by strange shrill voices - cold with an icy breath that made a red fire race in our veins and keyed up all the millions of fine pulses in our bodies to the'highest pitch of vibrant, singing life.
-We heated up a ready-cooked stew on a high-altitude primus and ate, snuggled up in our sleeping bags, while we watched and listened to the high cold wind which rushed ceaselessly out of the translucent blue darkness, bowing down the long silvery tussock grass till one thought of a dryad's hair streaming down over the lovely curving slope in endless billowing ripples,
+Brilliant summer had passed; the air was sharpened with the faint sting of coming autumn - a time of turbulent wind and sudden rain - of falling leaves and ripening snow berries.
-Tea over, we stowed away our things for the night, then lay on our backs, partly sheltered by the sturdy tussock clumps, enjoying the gusty tumult of wind as it poured down the slope bearing a smell of icecaps and illimitable'snow-fields. We looked up into the incredible heights of blue, deeper than any ocean, where whisps of cloud swirled and streamed and poured themselves in fine cascades from one blue interstellar space to another. Stars lay'scattered -
- myriad golden points of light - and the moon was full. Birtle
+Below the Birley Glacier just about sundown we established a high bivvy among the gleaming snow grass. Close by was a dark,rocky waterfall chasm which seemed possessed by strange shrill voices - cold with an icy breath that made a red fire race in our veins and keyed up all the millions of fine pulses in our bodies to the highest pitch of vibrant, singing life.
-slept, breathing gently into the tussock grass. In the half state
-between waking and sleeping I thought I was above that vast infinity
+We heated up a ready-cooked stew on a high-altitude primus and ate, snuggled up in our sleeping bags, while we watched and listened to the high cold wind which rushed ceaselessly out of the translucent blue darkness, bowing down the long silvery tussock grass till one thought of a dryad's hair streaming down over the lovely curving slope in endless billowing ripples.
- of space looking down on it, and then it seemed as though "down, don
-forever I was falling through the solid fraMeterk of created things, and must forever sink into that vast abyss"....and I, too, lept.
+Tea over, we stowed away our things for the night, then lay on our backs, partly sheltered by the sturdy tussock clumps, enjoying the gusty tumult of wind as it poured down the slope bearing a smell of icecaps and illimitable snow-fields. We looked up into the incredible heights of blue, deeper than any ocean, where whisps of cloud swirled and streamed and poured themselves in fine cascades from one blue interstellar space to another. Stars lay scattered - myriad golden points of light - and the moon was full. Birtle slept, breathing gently into the tussock grass. In the half state between waking and sleeping I thought I was above that vast infinity of space looking down on it, and then it seemed as though "down, down forever I was falling through the solid framework of created things, and must forever sink into that vast abyss".... and I, too, slept.
-There is a quiver which ruhs through all nature a little while before dawn, when sleep vanishes. We awoke to see the whole hillside a-ripple under the fluid wind, and we listened to its thousand voices while we cooked our breakfast on a flaring grass fire.
-.
+There is a quiver which runs through all nature a little while before dawn, when sleep vanishes. We awoke to see the whole hillside a-ripple under the fluid wind, and we listened to its thousand voices while we cooked our breakfast on a flaring grass fire.
-And now we were away - up over the windy tussocks in the soft grey light before the dawn - more alive than all the living, light as the wind itself, powerful as a stlorm, tireless as a turbulent glacier stream: Oh, the joy of living; - to feel the ice axe clin3 on rock and ice: - to see the timeless miracle of dawn breaking on the mountain tops:
-Up the Birley Glacier, which was considerably broken, threading our way through crevasses to the top from which we could look down
+And now we were away - up over the windy tussocks in the soft grey light before the dawn - more alive than all the living, light as the wind itself, powerful as a storm, tireless as a turbulent glacier stream! Oh, the joy of living! - to feel the ice axe clink on rock and ice! - to see the timeless miracle of dawn breaking on the mountain tops!
-into the Rees Valley - a great space inhabited by moving air and billows of swirling mist. We were now in Wright Col, at about 7,000 ft., where the snow slopes make a graceful curve and swell to the summit of East Peak, That was the first mountain I ever climbed in New Zealand, and though I have been up it several tirms since, it
-will always remain a sight that catches the heart; the thrill and
+Up the Birley Glacier, which was considerably broken, threading our way through crevasses to the top from which we could look down into the Rees Valley - a great space inhabited by moving air and billows of swirling mist. We were now in Wright Col, at about 7,000 ft., where the snow slopes make a graceful curve and swell to the summit of East Peak. That was the first mountain I ever climbed in New Zealand, and though I have been up it several tirms since, it will always remain a sight that catches the heart; the thrill and wonder of that first snow climb will never be forgotten.
-wonder of that first snow climb will never be forgotten.
-"If ever I die," said Bert, "I'd like a hut built here as a
+"If ever I die," said Bert, "I'd like a hut built here as a memorial."
-memorial."
-"Uh-huh," said I absently, my mind groping unconvincingly into some impossibly remote future, about 80 years hence, When Birtle might conceivably be dead.
+"Uh-huh," said I absently, my mind groping unconvincingly into some impossibly remote future, about 80 years hence, when Birtle might conceivably be dead.
- Passing through Wright Col, suddenly we got OUT first glimpse
-of the great fluted wedge of rock which is West Peak. There it rose Vast gloom at its base and vaster gloom surrounding its summit.. Hew
+Passing through Wright Col, suddenly we got our first glimpse of the great fluted wedge of rock which is West Peak. There it rose; vast gloom at its base and vaster gloom surrounding its summit. How wonderful the lonliness was up there!
-wonderful the lonliness was up there:
- g27.=.osseu the desolate soree terraces on =bile west side of
+We crossed the desolate scree terraces on the west side of Earnslaw, then a long stretch of misty morning slipped by while we proceeded up a steep, iced crack of rotten rock which led to the high col between the East and West peaks.
-Earnslaw, then a long stretch of misty morning slipped by while we
-proceeded up a steeps iced crack of rotten rock which led to the higi col between the East and West peaks.
+A short pitch up the hard, unsympathetic ice slopes of the steel S.E. face, moving one at a time, and then we went together along the summit ridge, wind-weathered into two terraces, in a world all grey and white - the rocks grey and grey and more grey, till they were rather black than grey; and the snow grey, and less grey, and not grey at all, but a gentle tone of white, robbed of its hardness. This is the place where time and eternity, earth and heaven meet. We absorbed it in a vivid silent interval. On a mountain top there is no need for speech - between the climbers there is a silent comprehensive friendship beyond the need of words. They are conscious together of the subduing spell of silence, the sudden joy of new discoveries in mountain lovliness the wonder and the beauty of it all - and that is enough.
-A short pitch up the hard, unsympathetic ice slopes of the steel S.E. face, moving one at a time, and then we went together along the
-summit ridge, wind-weathered into two terraces, in a world all grey
+And now all form and definition were quietly blotted out; a soft mist crept about us as we climbed down south-west of the summit to the col between West Peak and the first of the Seven Sisters. There they sat, seven timeless ladies in a timeless row, and looming out of a sea of mist was the grim black bulk of Pluto standing guard over them, his face stony and terrible, his fierce forbidding brows drawn together in a frown that boded ill for any paltry mortal who might think to show them disrespect. "Somewhat grisly," murmered Birtle. "It will be pleasing to get back to our camp." And so was I thinking of lower levels - of the friendly friendly valley where there were lots of __little__ things - little ferns and berries and flowers - tiny gauzy specks that flew and flitted above the banks of the singing stream - sunstarts on gleaming leaves and grass, and a gaysome little valley breeze merrying over the swaying clover.
-and white - the rocks grey and grey and more grey, till they were rather black than grey; and the snow grey, and less grey, and not
-grey at all, but a gentle tone of white, robbed of its hardness.
+On our nountain height the mist lifted somewhat, and, gazing down, we saw a great unfamiliar valley, deep, dark and desolate, and wet from a fine driving rain.
-This is the place where time and eternity, earth and heaven meet.
-We absorbed it in a vivid silent interval. On a mountain top there is no need for speech - between the climbers there is a silent
+"Oh Birtle, where are we?"
-comprehensive friendship beyond the need of words. They are
-conscious together of the subduing spell of silence, the sudden joy of new discoveries in mountain lovliness the wonder and the beauty of it all - and that is enough.
+Concluding that this must be Pluto Col and not Wright Col as we had expected - the two places lay a whole valley's width apart - we made all haste through it, relieved at being able to turn our backs on the rather frightening giant, Pluto. Shirting round the high rock terraces and snowfields at the valley's head we reached the next col, which must be Wright Col, unless the mountain as bewiched as indeed it seemed. We searched for our footmarks made in the morning and found traces so faint and dim that they seemed to vanish as we looked at them, and we could not be sure that they were not rather tracks made by a wandering deer stepping lightly on the hard surface of the snow.
-And now all form and definition were quietly blotted out; a soft mist crept about us as we climbed down south-west of the summit to the col between West Peak and the first of the Seven Sisters. There they sat, seven timeless ladies in a timeless row, and looming out of a sea of mist was the grim black bulk of Pluto standing guard over them, his face stony and terrible, his fierce forbidding brows
-a 1
+We zig-zagged up a snowslope, following the faint trail till it vanished on the hard ice, and there was nothing visible through the mist to tell us whether this was the col we sought or not. But it was so, and gladly we strode down the Birley Glacier, and so to our bivvy site by the waterfall; thence down the sprining tussocks and across the long shoulders of the hills to our little hut perched like an eagle's eyrie on the tree-line, where the golden autumn forest and the silver snow grass met.
-ti . a
-a
+NIght had stolen all detail from the hills by the time we had finished our evening meal. The valley slept below, and the snowy peaks above had silently withdrawn into the upper darkness. We stretched ourselves comfortably in our hessian bunks - a few desultory scraps of conversation - hazy fleeting visions of snow and rock and ice slopes - of a dark giant and seven princesses who sat together like god and godesses in teh kingly region above - clothed in a blanket of mist - all asleep... asleep... sleep.... then all consciousness melted away, and a great silence wrapped us.
-l6.
-drawn together in a frown that boded ill for any paltry 7ortal who might think to show them disrespoo "Somewhat. inurmunsqa Birtle. "It will be pleaFOng to goL back to our C=:' ir.d so vas I thinking of lower levols - of tf: friendly friendly varll.ay vihto there
+----
-were lots of little things - iiLto ferns and bE;721zini azica flowers - tiny gauzy specks -Chat flew and flitted above the banks of the singing stream - sunstarts on gleaming leaves and grass, and a gaysome little valley b:7eezp-merrying over the swaying clove:2,
-On our nountain height thc, lifted sone71aP.t and gazing down, we saw a great unfamiliarvalley, dct-ip daloE Jld desolate,
+Two years have passed by, and now the endless sleep lies heavy on Birtle, wiped out of existence by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps. The brave eyes are forever closed and the laughing lips are still. But the little Esquilant Bivvy nestles as a memorial in the pass where we had stood bewildered in the mist. It opens its arms and gathers climbers to itself as the darkness falls.... and in the silence the stars look down.
-ania fine drf.ving
-whore s').:-e we?1
+----
-Con:'ludin that Vaismust he 1-luto Col and not WIcht Col as we had expected - the two places lay a whole vAle7s width apart we made all haste through it, relieved at being abloito turn our backs on - "rie rather frightening giant, Pluto. Shirting round the high rock terraces and snowfields at the valleyts head we reached the next col, which nust be Wright Col, unless the mountain as bew3che6 as indee-i ',oemed. We searched for our footmarLy4 fla(-1c) In
-morning and found traces so faint and dim that they seemed to
-vanish as we looked at them, and we could not be sure that they were not rather tracks made by a wandering dner stepping lightly on hard surface of ',ae
-We zig zagged up a snowsiope, following the. faint trail till it vanished on the hard ice,.. end there was nothing visible through the mist tO tell us whether this was the col we sought or not. But it was so, and gladly we strode dom. the Bj.rley Glacier,and' 8o, to our bivvy itc by the waterfall; thence down t:ae sprin c:nd acroos H lorg shoulders of the hifl to our little Lut pecLod like an ,:)agle!s eyrie on the tree-lines where the golden autumn forest and the silver snow grass met.
-YI.Sr_t had stolen all detala:fw:r, the i.11s by th. /11.e we 7o.ac3
-finhe. our evening meal.  sJ.c,pt below
-peaks a.bovE) had silently luf.:qhen :Lto -cppe7! Ve
-strot&Isd ourselves comforly 1-.(c ov.Lr 7e7)3,2 - a fv7,7
-desultory raps Of convesation viizions 0.c-J fl.ow
-and rock and ice slopes 7  of a d gant and seven who
-sat together like god and godesses kinziy region ,.T.)07) -
-clothed in a blanket of.mist 1I aipO..?asleepDeep.
-then all consciousness melted '3,-vay, raml a L;oar; cilence enpped
-o   oa.aces.o.ouoa.
-Two years have passed by, and nom the endless sleep lies heavy on Birtle, wiped out of existence by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps. The brave eyes are forever closed and the laughing lips are s',Allo But the little Esquilant Bivvy nestes as a memorial in the pass where we had stood bewildered in the ndF:to It opens its alrrEi and gathers climbers to itself as the darkness falls.....and in the silence the stars look down.
 .
 WHO'D BE A BAULKER (Part 2)