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[Illustration: VILLAGE OF CHAMONIX.

    1 Summit of Mont Blanc.
    2 Bosses du Dromadaire.
    3 Dome du Goute.
    4 Aiguille du Goute.
    5 Grands Mulets.
    6 Glacier des Bossons.
    7 Montagne de la Cote.
    8 Glacier de Taconnaz.]




AN IMPROMPTU ASCENT

OF

MONT BLANC:

BY

_W. H. LE MESURIER._


LONDON:
ELLIOT STOCK, PUBLISHER,
62 PATERNOSTER ROW.

BIRKENHEAD:
E. GRIFFITH & SON, HAMILTON STREET.
1882.


BIRKENHEAD:

E. Griffith & Son, Printers, "Caxton" Works,
Hamilton Street

[Illustration]




PREFACE


The interest which still follows individual ascents of Mont Blanc,
notwithstanding the attraction of other mountain peaks, must be my
apology for once again repeating an oft-told tale; but with this
endeavour, to make the narrative a true and unvarnished account of what
we did and how we did it, and to present the accompanying illustrations
(which, for the most part, are taken from photographs) free from
exaggeration.




CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I.

Evening at Chamonix--Excursion to the Brevent--View of the Mont Blanc
chain.


CHAPTER II.

Commencement of the ascent--Pierre Pointue--Crossing the Glacier des
Bossons--An awkward bit--"Cabane" on the Grands Mulets.


CHAPTER III.

View from the Grands Mulets--A foreign invasion--Trying to
sleep--Preparation for a night march.


CHAPTER IV.

The start at midnight--Ascending the Montees--Arrival at the Petit
Plateau--An attempt at breakfast on the Grand Plateau--The expedition
jeopardised through mountain sickness--Churlish "foreigners"--The ascent
resumed--Repose on the Rochers des Bosses--Climbing the Mauvaise
Arete--The final assault--The goal reached.


CHAPTER V.

Descending the "back bone"--Approach of clouds--An unfortunate
slip--Floundering in the snow--In danger--An awkward descent--In and out
of the snow--The "Cabane" at last--Delicious repose--The journey
resumed--Re-crossing the Glacier--A thunderstorm in the Forest des
Pelerins--Welcome back.


CHAPTER VI.

A few words on our complexions--Certificates procured--Ladies'
preparation for an attempt--Nipped in the bud--Concluding remarks.


APPENDIX.

A brief account of some of the most noted ascents--Routes to Chamonix
from the Lake of Geneva.




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


                                                                PAGE

THE VALLEY OF CHAMONIX                               _Frontispiece._

MONT BLANC FROM THE BREVENT, SHEWING THE ROUTE                    13

THE GLACIER DES BOSSONS                                           18

THE "CABANE" ON THE GRANDS MULETS                                 26

MONT BLANC FROM THE COL DE BALME                                  42

COMING DOWN THE GLACIER DES BOSSONS                               50

DIAGRAM SHEWING THE RELATIVE HEIGHTS OF MONT BLANC AND SNOWDON    56

MAP OF ROUTES TO CHAMONIX                                         72




_CHAPTER I._

    "And thou, fresh breaking Day, and you, ye Mountains,
    Why are ye beautiful?"


On a delightful evening in the month of July, 1881, table d'hote being
over, my friend S---- and myself were seated under the verandah of the
hotel d'Angleterre at Chamonix; there were many others besides
ourselves, chiefly English and Americans, grouped in parties, some
taking their coffee, others smoking, and all devoting their attention to
the summit of Mont Blanc whose diadem of snow was being warmed in colour
if not in reality by the last rays of the setting sun. Though seven
miles off as the crow flies it seemed much nearer, and it was hard to
realize that some twelve or fourteen hours of incessant toil must be
undergone before the foot could be planted on that rounded crest of
eternal snow, that guide and porter must be employed, and that ropes
and ice-axes must be brought into requisition before those apparently
gently-sloping hills of pure white down could be traversed. They looked
so smooth, so inviting, and so incapable of doing any one harm.

The summit changed from gold to grey, the dome and Aiguille du Goute
faded from view, the Grands Mulets were no longer to be seen, and the
form of the Glacier des Bossons could scarcely be distinguished from the
Montagne de la Cote. Gradually and imperceptibly they vanished into
night, the stars came out, the guests retired, and following their
example I climbed up to my room on the sixth floor. We had left Martigny
at four in the morning, and had walked most of the way to Forclaz, and
the whole of it from thence over the Col de Balme, so I was not sorry to
get to bed. Not having the remotest intention of making the ascent my
slumbers were undisturbed by the excitement which they say invariably
precedes the undertaking, from which even professionals are said not to
be exempt. On getting up next morning I was very agreeably surprised to
find that the sun was shining brightly on the summit which was entirely
free from clouds--a somewhat unusual circumstance, as lofty mountain
peaks more often than otherwise are enveloped in them, especially in the
morning.

Feeling lazy and somewhat stiff after our long walk of the previous day,
we loiter