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31 chapters
PREFACE.
PREFACE.
In the year 1860, shortly before leaving England for a long continental tour, the late Mr. William Longman requested me to make for him some sketches of the great Alpine peaks. At this time I had only a literary acquaintance with mountaineering, and had even not seen—much less set foot upon—a mountain. Amongst the peaks which were upon my list was Mont Pelvoux, in Dauphiné. The sketches that were required of it were to celebrate the triumph of some Englishmen who intended to make its ascent. The
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
I was bound for the valley of Saas, and my work took me high up the Alps on either side; far beyond the limit of trees and the tracks of tourists. The view from the slopes of the Weissmies, on the eastern side of the valley, 5000 or 6000 feet above the village of Saas, is perhaps the finest of its kind in the Alps. The full height of the three-peaked Mischabel (the highest mountain in Switzerland) is seen at one glance; 11,000 feet of dense forests, green alps, rocky pinnacles, and glittering gl
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CHAPTER II. THE ASCENT OF MONT PELVOUX.
CHAPTER II. THE ASCENT OF MONT PELVOUX.
The district of which Mont Pelvoux and the neighbouring summits are the culminating points, 12 is, both historically and topographically, one of the most interesting in the Alps. As the nursery and the home of the Vaudois, it has claims to permanent attention. The names of Waldo and of Neff will be remembered when men more famous in their time will be forgotten; and the memory of the heroic courage and the simple piety of their disciples will endure as long as history lasts. This district contai
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CHAPTER III. MY FIRST SCRAMBLE ON THE MATTERHORN.
CHAPTER III. MY FIRST SCRAMBLE ON THE MATTERHORN.
Two summits amongst those in the Alps which yet remained virgin had especially excited my admiration. One of these had been attacked numberless times by the best mountaineers without success; the other, surrounded by traditional inaccessibility, was almost untouched. These mountains were the Weisshorn and the Matterhorn. After visiting the great tunnel of the Alps in 1861, I wandered for ten days in the neighbouring valleys, intending, presently, to attempt the ascent of these two peaks. Rumours
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CHAPTER IV. RENEWED ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.
CHAPTER IV. RENEWED ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.
The year 1862 was still young, and the Matterhorn, clad in its wintry garb, bore but little resemblance to the Matterhorn of the summer, when a new force came to do battle with the mountain, from another direction. Mr. T. S. Kennedy of Leeds conceived the extraordinary idea that the peak might prove less impracticable in January than in June, and arrived at Zermatt in the former month to put his conception to the test. With stout Peter Perrn and sturdy Peter Taugwalder he slept in the little cha
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CHAPTER V. THE VAL TOURNANCHE—DIRECT PASS FROM BREIL TO ZERMATT (BREUILJOCH)—ZERMATT—FIRST ASCENT OF THE GRAND TOURNALIN.
CHAPTER V. THE VAL TOURNANCHE—DIRECT PASS FROM BREIL TO ZERMATT (BREUILJOCH)—ZERMATT—FIRST ASCENT OF THE GRAND TOURNALIN.
I crossed the Channel on the 29th of July 1863, embarrassed by the possession of two ladders, each twelve feet long, which joined together like those used by firemen, and shut up like parallel rulers. My luggage was highly suggestive of housebreaking, for, besides these, there were several coils of rope, and numerous tools of suspicious appearance, and it was reluctantly admitted into France, but it passed through the custom-house with less trouble than I anticipated, after a timely expenditure
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CHAPTER VI. OUR SIXTH ATTEMPT TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.81
CHAPTER VI. OUR SIXTH ATTEMPT TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.81
Carrel had carte blanche in the matter of guides, and his choice fell upon his relative Cæsar, Luc Meynet, and two others whose names I do not know. These men were now brought together, and our preparations were completed, as the weather was clearing up. We rested on Sunday, August 9, eagerly watching the lessening of the mists around the great peak, and started just before dawn upon the 10th, on a still and cloudless morning, which seemed to promise a happy termination to our enterprise. By goi
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CHAPTER VII. FROM ST. MICHEL ON THE MONT CENIS ROAD BY THE COL DES AIGUILLES D’ARVE, COL DE MARTIGNARE, AND THE BRÈCHE DE LA MEIJE TO LA BÉRARDE.
CHAPTER VII. FROM ST. MICHEL ON THE MONT CENIS ROAD BY THE COL DES AIGUILLES D’ARVE, COL DE MARTIGNARE, AND THE BRÈCHE DE LA MEIJE TO LA BÉRARDE.
When we arrived upon the highest summit of Mont Pelvoux, in Dauphiné, in 1861, we saw, to our surprise and disappointment, that it was not the culminating point of the district; and that another mountain—distant about a couple of miles, and separated from us by an impassable gulf—claimed that distinction. I was troubled in spirit about this mountain, and my thoughts often reverted to the great wall-sided peak, second in apparent inaccessibility only to the Matterhorn. It had, moreover, another c
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CHAPTER VIII THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE POINTE DES ECRINS.
CHAPTER VIII THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE POINTE DES ECRINS.
Before 5 o’clock on the afternoon of June 23, we were trotting down the steep path that leads into La Bérarde. We put up, of course, with the chasseur-guide Rodier (who, as usual, was smooth and smiling), and, after congratulations were over, we returned to the exterior to watch for the arrival of one Alexander Pic, who had been sent overnight with our baggage viâ Freney and Venos. But when the night fell, and no Pic appeared, we saw that our plans must be modified; for he was necessary to our v
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CHAPTER IX. FROM VAL LOUISE TO LA BÉRARDE BY THE COL DE PILATTE.115
CHAPTER IX. FROM VAL LOUISE TO LA BÉRARDE BY THE COL DE PILATTE.115
From Ailefroide to Claux, but for the path, travel would be scarcely more easy than over the Pré de Madame Carle. 116 The valley is strewn with immense masses of gneiss, from the size of a large house downwards, and it is only occasionally that rock in situ is seen, so covered up is it by the débris, which seems to have been derived almost entirely from the neighbouring cliffs. It was Sunday, a “day most calm and bright.” Golden sunlight had dispersed the clouds, and was glorifying the heights,
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CHAPTER X. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE COL DE TRIOLET, AND FIRST ASCENTS OF MONT DOLENT, AIGUILLE DE TRÉLATÊTE, AND AIGUILLE D’ARGENTIÈRE.
CHAPTER X. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE COL DE TRIOLET, AND FIRST ASCENTS OF MONT DOLENT, AIGUILLE DE TRÉLATÊTE, AND AIGUILLE D’ARGENTIÈRE.
A few years ago not many persons knew from personal knowledge how extremely inaccurately the chain of Mont Blanc was delineated. In the earlier part of the century thousands had made the tour of the chain, and before the year 1860 at least one thousand individuals had stood upon its highest summit; but out of all this number there was not one capable, willing, or able, to map the mountain which, until recently, was regarded the highest in Europe. Many persons knew that great blunders had been pe
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CHAPTER XI. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE MOMING PASS—ZINAL TO ZERMATT.
CHAPTER XI. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE MOMING PASS—ZINAL TO ZERMATT.
On July 10, Croz and I went to Sierre, in the Valais, viâ the Col de Balme, the Col de la Forclaz, and Martigny. The Swiss side of the Forclaz is not creditable to Switzerland. The path from Martigny to the summit has undergone successive improvements in these latter years; but mendicants permanently disfigure it. We passed many tired pedestrians toiling up this oven, persecuted by trains of parasitic children. These children swarm there like maggots in a rotten cheese. They carry baskets of fru
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CHAPTER XII. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE GRAND CORNIER.
CHAPTER XII. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE GRAND CORNIER.
Our career in 1864 had been one of unbroken success, but the great ascent upon which I had set my heart was not attempted, and, until it was accomplished, I was unsatisfied. Other things, too, influenced me to visit the Alps once more. I wished to travel elsewhere, in places where the responsibility of direction would rest with myself alone. It was well to know how far my judgment in the choice of routes could be relied upon. The journey of 1865 was chiefly undertaken, then, to find out to what
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CHAPTER XIII. THE ASCENT OF THE DENT BLANCHE.
CHAPTER XIII. THE ASCENT OF THE DENT BLANCHE.
Croz and Biener did not return until past 5 A.M. on June 17, and we then set out at once for Zermatt, intending to cross the Col d’Hérens. But we did not proceed far before the attractions of the Dent Blanche were felt to be irresistible, and we turned aside up the steep lateral glacier which descends along its south-western face. The Dent Blanche is a mountain that is little known except to the climbing fraternity. It was, and is, reputed to be one of the most difficult mountains in the Alps. M
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CHAPTER XIV. LOST ON THE COL D’HÉRENS.—MY SEVENTH ATTEMPT TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.
CHAPTER XIV. LOST ON THE COL D’HÉRENS.—MY SEVENTH ATTEMPT TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.
We should have started for Zermatt about 7 A.M. on the 18th, had not Biener asked to be allowed to go to mass at Evolène, a village about two and a half hours from Abricolla. He received permission, on the condition that he returned not later than mid-day, but he did not come back until 2.30 P.M. , and we thereby got into a pretty little mess. The pass which we were about to traverse to Zermatt—the Col d’Hérens—is one of the few glacier-passes in this district which have been known almost from t
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CHAPTER XV. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE COL DOLENT.
CHAPTER XV. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE COL DOLENT.
Freethinking mountaineers have been latterly in the habit of going up one side of an Alp and coming down the other, and calling the route a pass. In this confusion of ideas may be recognised the result of the looseness of thought which arises from the absence of technical education. The true believer abhors such heresies, and observes with satisfaction that Providence oftentimes punishes the offenders for their greediness by causing them to be benighted. The faithful know that passes must be mad
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CHAPTER XVI. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE AIGUILLE VERTE.
CHAPTER XVI. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE AIGUILLE VERTE.
Michel Croz now parted from us. His new employer had not arrived at Chamounix, but Croz considered that he was bound by honour to wait for him, and thus Christian Almer, of Grindelwald, became my leading guide. Almer displayed aptitude for mountaineering at an early age. Whilst still a very young man he was known as a crack chamois-hunter, and he soon developed into an accomplished guide. Those who have read Mr. Wills’ graphic account of the first ascent of the Wetterhorn 191 will remember that,
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CHAPTER XVII. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE COL DE TALÈFRE.
CHAPTER XVII. THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE COL DE TALÈFRE.
The person who discovered the Col du Géant must have been a shrewd mountaineer. The pass was in use before any other was known across the main chain of Mont Blanc, and down to the present time it remains the easiest and quickest route from Chamounix to Courmayeur, with the single exception of the pass that we crossed upon the 3d of July, for the first time, which lies about mid-way between the Aiguille de Triolet and the Aiguille de Talèfre, and which, for want of a better name, I have called th
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CHAPTER XVIII. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE RUINETTE—THE MATTERHORN.
CHAPTER XVIII. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE RUINETTE—THE MATTERHORN.
All of the excursions that were set down in my programme had been carried out, with the exception of the ascent of the Matterhorn, and we now turned our faces in its direction, but instead of returning viâ the Val Tournanche, we took a route across country, and bagged upon our way the summit of the Ruinette. We passed the night of July 4, at Aosta, under the roof of the genial Tairraz, and on the 5th went by the Val d’Ollomont and the Col de la Fenêtre (9140) to Chermontane. We slept that night
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CHAPTER XIX. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.
CHAPTER XIX. THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.
“ It is a thoroughly unfair, but an ordinary custom, to praise or blame designs (which in themselves may be good or bad) just as they turn out well or ill. Hence the same actions are at one time attributed to earnestness and at another to vanity. ” Pliny Min. We started from Zermatt on the 13th of July, at half-past 5, on a brilliant and perfectly cloudless morning. We were eight in number—Croz, old Peter and his two sons, 215 Lord F. Douglas, Hadow, Hudson, 216 and I. To ensure steady motion, o
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CHAPTER XX. DESCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.233
CHAPTER XX. DESCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.233
A few minutes afterwards I tied myself to young Peter, ran down after the others, and caught them just as they were commencing the descent of the difficult part. 235 Great care was being taken. Only one man was moving at a time; when he was firmly planted the next advanced, and so on. They had not, however, attached the additional rope to rocks, and nothing was said about it. The suggestion was not made for my own sake, and I am not sure that it even occurred to me again. For some little distanc
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A. The Death of Bennen.253
A. The Death of Bennen.253
[Mr. B. B. Heathcote, of Chingford, Essex, whilst attempting to ascend the Matterhorn by the southern route, was unfortunately used as a lightning-conductor, when he was within 500 feet of the summit of the mountain. It may be observed that the Matterhorn (like all isolated Alpine rock summits) is frequently struck by lightning. Signor Giordano has pointed out elsewhere that he found numerous traces of electric discharges upon its summit.] 255...
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B. Struck by Lightning upon the Matterhorn.254
B. Struck by Lightning upon the Matterhorn.254
It was stated in the commencement of this chapter that the Pointe des Ecrins was the highest mountain in France. I have learned, since that paragraph was written, that Captain Mieulet has determined that the height of the Aiguille Verte is 13,540 feet; that mountain is consequently 78 feet higher than the Pointe des Ecrins, and is the highest in France....
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C. Note To Chapter VII.
C. Note To Chapter VII.
The Val Tournanche natives who started to facilitate the way up the south-west ridge of the Matterhorn for MM. Giordano and Sella, pitched their tent upon my third platform, at the foot of the Great Tower (12,992 feet), and enjoyed several days of bad weather under its shelter. On the first fine day (13th of July) they began their work, and about midday on the 14th got on to the “shoulder,” and arrived at the base of the final peak (the point where Bennen stopped on July 28, 1862). The counsels
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D. Subsequent History of the Matterhorn.258
D. Subsequent History of the Matterhorn.258
These four men left Breil at 6.30 A.M. on July 16, at 1 P.M. arrived at the third tent-platform, and there passed the night. At daybreak on the 17th they continued the ascent by the route which had been taken before; passed successively the Great Tower, the “crête du coq,” the “cravate,” and the “shoulder,” 262 and at 10 A.M. gained the point at the foot of the final peak from which the explorers had turned back on the 14th. 263 They had then about 800 feet to accomplish, and, says the Abbé, “no
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E. TABLE OF ATTEMPTS MADE TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN PREVIOUS TO THE FIRST ASCENT.
E. TABLE OF ATTEMPTS MADE TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN PREVIOUS TO THE FIRST ASCENT.
The above table is known to be imperfect, and the Author will be obliged if correspondents will enable him to correct and extend it. Communications should be addressed to him Care of the Publisher ....
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F. ASCENTS OF THE MATTERHORN.
F. ASCENTS OF THE MATTERHORN.
The above table is known to be imperfect, and the Author will be obliged if correspondents will enable him to correct and extend it. Communications should be addressed to him Care of the Publisher . Le Matterhorn ou Mont Cervin est formé depuis la base jusqu’au sommet de roches stratifiées en bancs assez réguliers, qui sont tous légèrement rélevés vers l’Est, savoir vers le Mont Rose. Ces roches quoiqu’évidemment d’origine sédimentaire ont une structure fortement cristalline qui doit être l’effe
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G. Courte Note sur la Géologie du Matterhorn. Par Signor F. Giordano, Ingénieur en Chef des Mines d’Italie, etc. etc.
G. Courte Note sur la Géologie du Matterhorn. Par Signor F. Giordano, Ingénieur en Chef des Mines d’Italie, etc. etc.
Les roches de la base qu’on voit dans le Val Tournanche, dans le vallon de Z’Mutt, au col de Théodule et ailleurs, sont en général des schistes talqueux, serpentineux, chloriteux, et amphiboliques, alternant fort souvent avec des schistes calcaires à noyaux quartzeux. Ces schistes calcaires de couleur brunâtre alternent ça et là avec des dolomies, des cargueules, et des quartzites tégulaires. Cette formation calcaréo-serpentineuse est très étendue dans les environs. Le pic au contraire est tout
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H. Professor Tyndall and the Matterhorn.
H. Professor Tyndall and the Matterhorn.
LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. (larger version)...
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THE MATTERHORN AND ITS GLACIERS
THE MATTERHORN AND ITS GLACIERS
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THE VALLEY OF ZERMATT
THE VALLEY OF ZERMATT
“Faits pour servir à l’Histoire des Montagnes de l’Oisans,” by Elie de Beaumont, in the Annales des Mines . Norway and its Glaciers; followed by Excursions in the High Alps of Dauphiné. By J. D. Forbes. The following works also treat more or less of the districts referred to in this chapter:— Good pictures of Dauphiné scenery are to be found in Voyages Pittoresques dans l’ancienne France , by Ch. Nodier, J. Taylor, and A. de Cailleux, and in Lord Monson’s Views in the Departments of the Isère an
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