The gun mules sank to their girths in the snow and, even then, were unable to obtain a footing.

Men were sent out to try the depth of the snow on both sides of the valley, but they found no improvement.

Obviously it was absolutely impossible for the mules and ponies to get farther over the snow, in its present state.

It was already three o'clock in the afternoon, and only eight miles had been covered.

The force therefore retired to the last village in the valley.