Mountain Journeys 93 



an important part. He reports in the following words this symp- 

 tom which happened to him September 18: r2Q 



I had been for two hours on the western edge of the glacier of 

 Lesa, at the height of 3436 meters; the heat was such that my eyes 

 began to grow red, and I felt a frontal headache with such drowsiness 

 and fatigue that I had great trouble in observing my barometer suit- 

 ably; I found no relief for this condition except in lying down on the 

 ground. (P. 386.) 



The first ascent of Monte Rosa took place August 5, 1819; it 

 was made by two men who lived in the neighborhood, Vincent, 

 superintendent of the mines of Indren, and Delapierre, inspector 

 of forests, better known by the German translation of his name, 

 Zumstein. 



In the first journey, no physiological disturbance was men- 

 tioned. But the second, which is reported with details in the 

 Memoires de l'Academie de Turin (vol. XXV, p. 230-252; 1820), 

 furnishes some interesting references. At first, in the night which 

 the mountaineers passed at the foot of the last ridges in the hut of 

 the Mineurs, which was occupied two months, "the highest in 

 Europe" (1681 fathoms), Zumstein "felt a certain oppression in 

 his chest which prevented him from closing his eyes all night. 

 "Perhaps," he added prudently, "this excitement was caused only 

 by the keen impatience for the morrow" (P. 237). When they 

 were near the summit, as the daring travellers were crossing a 

 dangerous ridge on steps cut in the ice, "the man who was second 

 in line grew pale and tottering leaned towards the slope at the 

 left (P. 241)"; rubbing him with snow restored him. On the sum- 

 mit, after a certain time for rest, the pulse rate of Vincent was 80, 

 that of Zumstein 101, that of one of the guides 104, and that of the 

 sportsman who was sick 77, which naturally surprised Zumstein. 



At last they reached the top of the Vincent pyramid (4210 

 meters) : 



They had little appetite, but a burning thirst. Vincent had already 

 felt discomfort while he was ascending, and Zumstein, as he stooped 

 to pick up some silvery butterflies which were lying half dead on the 

 snow, had an attack of dizziness, which fortunately soon disappeared. 

 (Anal, de Briquet, p. 16.) 



On July 31, 1820, they repeated their ascent, in the company 

 of the engineer Molinatti, and passed the night almost at the very 

 summit of the mountain, at an elevation of 13,128 feet: 



In the middle of the night, Zumstein was awakened by palpi- 

 tations which choked him; he got up to seek recovery and was soon 

 better. 



