fell in with the track of
two chamois, which our guides followed with confidence, relying on the
instinct, which they attribute to these animals, of finding a
practicable path over the most difficult glaciers. When we had at last
past the glacier, our feet seemed to rejoice at once more touching
firm ground; and we felt as if returning to the world from a distant
voyage. The rest of our task offered no difficulty, being a constant
descent down the rocky mountain side, except what was occasioned by
our almost total blindness, and the pain we suffered in our eyes. It
was however very fatiguing, as the descent from a mountain is
generally more so than the ascent to it. We stopped at the same
Chalet, where two days before we had bid adieu to the world; and were
regaled by the old man and his daughters with another delicious
draught of milk and cream. We reached the village soon after ten
o'clock in the morning, having been absent fifty-three hours, during
forty-five of which we were on the ice. We were received with many
congratulations by the honest villagers, who had taken considerable
interest in our success.

As soon as my companion and myself reached our inn, we buried
ourselves in our chamber, to enjoy the luxury of a bed, and of
darkness, which was necessary for our eyes. It was not until the sun
had set, and the twilight was not too strong for them, that we
ventured out to regale ourselves with a comfortable meal. Two English
visitors, who had watched with a glass our progress on the top of Mont
Blanc, had expressed a determination to follow our example; but our
account of the difficulties we met with, and still more the view of
the condition we were in, soon induced them to abandon the design. We
walked out at the approach of night under the "Needles," and as we saw
these rocks, on whose sides

-------- the clouds
Pause to repose themselves in passing by,

and on whose tops the stars seemed to rest, we could scarcely realize
the idea that they were the same we had seen only thirty hours before,
far below our feet.

The next day after our return to Chamouny, our eyes had become so much
stronger, that we were enabled, without much inconvenience, to proceed
to Geneva, where we have since remained to recover from our
sufferings. Though now more than a week has elapsed, my face is yet
much inflamed; but my eyes have regained their usual strength. Dr. Van
Rensselaer has suffered in the same manner, but on the