selves with
viewing the mountain.

Amongst those who took a special interest in our late achievement were
two ladies, who, accompanied by a gentleman, were to make an attempt the
following morning. The route had been carefully studied, experienced
guides and porters had been engaged, wrappers, veils, and better fare
than can be procured at the Grands Mulets, had been provided. The
weather, too, was magnificent, the thunderstorm having completely passed
away at sunset, so as far as one could foresee they were likely to be
favoured by the weather, which is half the battle.

At six next morning, having hurried down to wish them success, I found
the party all ready for a start. Two mules, which had been hired to
carry their fair burdens to Pierre Pointue, were flapping their long
ears and looking as if they thought getting up early a horrid bore. The
guides and porters were fully equipped, and amongst other things they
were provided with coils of brand new rope, which was indicative of
precaution. On coming up to them, one of the ladies, with something very
like tears in her eyes, said, "Couttet won't go; the weather has
changed; there are clouds on the mountain; so our excursion must be put
off." Turning to the guide who was responsible for this decision, he
remarked in a most disconsolate tone, "Ah, monsieur, c'est impossible;"
and no doubt he was right, for the summit down to the Glacier des
Bossons was completely obscured; and what made it all the more vexatious
was that in other respects the weather was everything that could be
desired. Having expressed my warmest sympathy, I hastened to my room to
prepare for our departure by the diligence, which was to leave at seven
o'clock.

[Illustration: DIAGRAM SHEWING THE RELATIVE HEIGHTS OF MONT BLANC AND
SNOWDON]

In bringing my narrative to a conclusion, I may say that although the
ascent of Mont Blanc is no longer considered difficult or dangerous, I
submit that in all probability the route is practically the same as when
Balmat made the first ascent. The zig-zags to Pierre Pointue may have
been slightly improved, and possibly the path which Albert Smith
describes as so trying to the nerves on the way to Pierre a l'Echelle
may be a few inches wider, but I doubt whether the Glacier des Bossons,
the Montees, the Plateaux, and the Bosses du Dromadaire, have undergone
any appreciable change; and I would point out that, although nearly
eight hundred ascents have been made i