42 Dr. IlameVs Ascent of Moiit Blanc, [Jan. 



.the surface ; and as our track cut the first stratum across, the 

 part which was above us began to slip upon the other, forming 

 "what is called in the I'Oberland de Berne, suoggiachnee, or 

 rutschlavine. In that part where the first of our file walked, the 

 acclivity was much steeper than near me where I had measured it 

 a little before the accident ; there it inclined at an angle of 28°. 

 Further on, the mass of snow was also thicker, especially high 



• up ; for the wind usually drifts there the loose snow blown from 



.the summit. For these reasons, the slipping necessarily began 

 at this place, and the snow descended directly towards the 

 crevice; while about me it took an oblique direction forward. 

 It was on this account that the three first of the file* fell so 

 deep into the crevice, and were covered with snow, so that we 

 were unable to discover them, while the fifth and sixth,t who 

 had also fallen in, were able to disengage themselves. Coutet 

 came up with his face of a blue appearance, and with symptoms 



. of suffocation. Mathieu Balmat, who was a very strong man, 

 and one of our principal guides, walked fourth, was the only one 



. who could withstand the shpping of the snow. Thrown down and 

 afterwards carried to some distance, he had the presence of mind 

 to thrust his large stick down, like an anchor, into the hardened 



•«now. The two other guides J were, like us three travellers, buried 

 in the snow, and forced towards the crevice, without, however, fall- 

 ing into it. The guides reckoned the surface of the snow which 

 moved to be nearly 100 fathoms broad, and 250 high in an obhque 

 direction. From the firmness of the snow which had slipped, it 

 was evident that it had not lately fallen. The guides most accus- 

 tomed to the snow did not suspect any danger. At the moment 

 the accident occurred, the brother of one of our principal guides 

 walked first, and the second was a man who had been this 

 journey 12 times. In coming from the side of St. Gervais, pass- 

 ing by the Aiguilles and the Dome du Goute, it is necessary to 

 take the route to Chamouny, in order to reach the acclivity, 

 which deceived us when we imagined all dangers were past. 



** Whether we ascend one side or the other, even after having 

 escaped as I did, the formidable rocks of the Aiguilles du Gout6, 

 and passed the gulphs of the Glacier des Bossons, we incur the 

 danger near the summit of being swallowed up by the yielding 

 of the snow which at first appears to be firm, but suddenly gives 

 way — a species of danger against which it is difficult to find a 

 preservative." 



• They were Pierre Balmat, brother of Mathieu, and eldest son of P. Balmat, one 

 of the ancient guides of M. de Saussure ; Pierre Carrier, a smith by trade, who had 

 keen 1 1 times upon Mont Blanc ; and Auguste Terraz. This last and P. Balmat had 

 never been on Mont Blanc, and were the two guides who refused to remain at the 

 Grand Mulct. These three carried the provisions, the instruments, the pigeon, and a 

 live fowl. No one of them was married. 



+ Joseph Marie Coutet, one' of our principal guides (his father was also with M. de 

 Saussure), and Julien Devvausson, who escaped being poisoned by oil of vitriol. 



X David Coutet, the brother of Joseph Marie, our principal guide, and D«m 



