up again； many fathoms at a single leap： a great grey cliff loomed before
them； cut sheer down as if by a knife stroke。 They could go no further
forwards； and must turn now either west or east。 But west would lead them
only into more labour and delay； back towards the heart of the hills； east
would take them to the outer precipice。
‘There's nothing for it but to scramble down this gully； Sam；' said
Frodo。 ‘Let's see what it leads to！'
'A nasty drop； I'll bet；' said Sam。
The cleft was longer and deeper than it seemed。 Some way down they
found a few gnarled and stunted trees； the first they had seen for days：
twisted birch for the most part； with here and there a fir…tree。 Many were
dead and gaunt； bitten to the core by the eastern winds。 Once in milder days
there must have been a fair thicket in the ravine； but now； after some fifty
yards； the trees came to an end； though old broken stumps straggled on
almost to the cliff's brink。 The bottom of the gully； which lay along the
edge of a rock…fault； was rough with broken stone and slanted steeply down。
When they came at last to the end of it； Frodo stooped and leaned out。
‘Look！' he said。 ‘We must have e down a long way； or else the cliff
has sunk。 It's much lower here than it was； and it looks easier too。'
Sam knelt beside him and peered reluctantly over the edge。 Then he
glanced up at the great cliff rising up； away on their left。 ‘Easier！ ' he
grunted。 ‘Well； I suppose it's always easier getting down than up。 Those as
can't fly can jump！'
‘It would be a big jump still；' said Frodo。 ‘About； well' he stood
for a moment measuring it with his eyes ‘about eighteen fathoms I should
guess。 Not more。'
'And that's enough！ ' said Sam。 ‘Ugh！ How I do hate looking down from a
height！ But looking's better than climbing。'
‘All the same；' said Frodo； ‘I think we could climb here； and I think
we shall have to try。 See the rock is quite different from what it was a
few miles back。 It has slipped and cracked。'
The outer fall was indeed no longer sheer； but sloped outwards a
little。 It looked like a great rampart or sea…wall whose foundations had
shifted； so that its courses were all twisted and disordered； leaving great
fissures and long slanting edges that were in places almost as wide as
stairs。
‘And if we're going to try and get down； we had better try at once。
It's getting dark early。 I think there's a storm ing。'
The smoky blur of the mountains in the East was lost in a deeper
blackness that was already reaching out westwards with long arms。 There was
a distant mutter of thunder borne on the rising breeze。 Frodo sniffed the
air and looked up doubtfully at the sky。 He strapped his belt outside his
cloak and tightened it； and settled his light pack on his back； then he
stepped towards the edge。 ‘I'm going to try it；' he said。
‘Very good！ ' said Sam gloomily。 ‘But I'm going first。'
'You？ ' said Frodo。 ‘What's made you change your mind about climbing？'
'I haven't changed my mind。 But it's only sense： put the one lowest as
is most likely to slip。 I don't want to e down atop of you and knock you
off no sense in killing two with one fall。'
Before Frodo could stop him； he sat down； swung his legs over the
brink； and twisted round； scrabbling with his toes for a foothold。 It is
doubtful if he ever did anything braver in cold blood； or more unwise。
'No； no！ Sam； you old ass！ ' said Frodo。 ‘You'll kill yourself for
certain going over like that without even a look to see what to make for。
e back！ ' He took Sam under the armpits and hauled him up again。 'Now；
wait a bit and be patient！ ' he said。 Then he lay on the ground； leaning out
and looking down： but the light seemed to be fading quickly； although the
sun had not yet set。 'I think we could manage this；' he said presently。 ‘I
could at any rate； and you could too。 if you kept your head and followed me
carefully。'
‘I don't know how you can be so sure；' said Sam。 ‘Why！ You can't see to
the bottom in this light。 What if you es to a place where there's nowhere
to put your feet or your hands？'
'Climb back； I suppose；' said Frodo。
'Easy said；' objected Sam。 'Better wait till morning and more light。'
‘No！ Not if I can help it；' said Frodo with a sudden strange vehemence。
‘I grudge every hour； every minute。 I'm going down to try it out。 Don't you
follow till I e back or call！'
Gripping the stony lip of the fall with his fingers he let himself
gently down； until when his arms were almost at full stretch； his toes found
a ledge。 'On_ e step down！ ' he said。 'And this ledge broadens out to the
right。 I could stand there without a hold。 I'll' his words were cut short。
The hurrying darkness； now gathering great speed； rushed up from the
East and swallowed the sky。 There was a dry splitting crack of thunder right
overhead。 Searing lightning smote down into the hills。 Then came a blast of
savage wind； and with it； mingling with its roar； there came a high shrill
shriek。 The hobbits had heard just such a cry far away in the Marish as they
fled from Hobbiton； and even there in the woods of the Shire it had frozen
their blood。 Out here in the waste its terror was far greater： it pierced
them with cold blades of horror and despair； stopping heart and breath。 Sam
fell flat on his face。 Involuntarily Frodo loosed his hold and put his hands
over his head and ears。 He swayed； slipped； and slithered downwards with a
wailing cry。
Sam heard him and crawled with an effort to the edge。 'Master； master！
' he called。 'Master！'。
He heard no answer。 He found he was shaking all over； but he gathered
his breath； and once again he shouted： 'Master！' The wind seemed to blow his
voice back into his throat； but as it passed； roaring up the gully and away
over the hills； a faint answering cry came to his ears：
'All right； all right！ I'm here。 But I can't see。'
Frodo was calling with a weak voice。 ；He was not actually very far
away。 He had slid and not fallen； and had e up with a jolt to his feet on
a wider ledge not many yards lower down。 Fortunately the rock…face at this
point leaned well back and the wind had pressed him against the cliff； so
that he had not toppled over。 He steadied himself a little； laying his face
against the cold stone； feeling his heart pounding。 But either the darkness
had grown plete； or else his eyes had lost their sight。 All was black
about him。 He wondered if he had been struck blind。 He took a deep breath。
‘e back！ e back！ ' he heard Sam's voice out of the blackness
above。
‘I can't；' he said。 ‘I can't see。 I can't find any hold。 I can't move
yet。'
‘What can I do； Mr。 Frodo？ What can I do？ ' shouted Sam； leaning out
dangerously far。 Why could not his master see？ It was dim； certainly； but
not as dark as all that。 He could see Frodo below