4 Accétint of journey to the 
with provisions, blankets, sheets for a tent, cords, coals, a pan 
to melt. snow in, a chafingdish, bellows, &c. &c.; and each 
of us was armed with a pole about 9 feet long, with a sharp 
iron spike in the end, to support ourselves and to prevent 
us from falling.—Our line of march seemed rather formida- 
ble as we ascended and descended the broken glaciers. 
We encountered many crevices, some of which were dis- 
tinctly seen ; others more than half hid by the snow. Oc 
lly. masses of ice had sunk, and left the ‘remaining 
wall rising 40 or 50 feet above us: in such cases it was ne- 
to search the lowest end of the wall, and ascend by 
the ladder, or by cutting stepping holes in the side. This 
however could be attempted only where the wall was not 
more than 20 feet high, as our ladder was only of that 
length. Where besides the wall, there was a crevice at the 
bottom, the ascent was indeed dread fis ; for while crossing 
a gulph that yawned 150 or 200 feet. beneath us, we were 
climbing the ladder _— a side of ice, where the 
least mg must have precipitate aust immediate death. 
Where the the 
eeedaoet, sg we Sega ap on pe 
In a few cases it occurred that an arched bridge of snow 
connected the sides, and here it behoved us to tread lightly 
and with caution, lest breaking through, we should have 
sunk into a pit from which it would have been impossible 
to return. Often frustrated in our course by unforseen 
crevices and walls, we were forced to make a lengthened ~ 
march ; but at last clambered up a solitary rock that rises. 
from the snow, 8 leagues from the village. It is called the 
Grand Mulet, and having served several travellers as a rest- 
ing place, was chosen by us.as the only rock-on which it 
was practicable to sleep. It iscomposed of quartz, and 
micaceous. schist rising in perpendicular lamina 60 or 70 — 
feet above the ice, and 7,800 feet above the level of the sea. 
A few pieces of schist arranged into a kind of platform-af- 
ford a tolerable testing place for him who is not over fas- 
tidious on such a journey. On one side rises the sharp 
Aiguille de Midi, and on the other the Dome de Couté, that 
seems to soar far above Mt. Blanc. It was yet early in the 
afternoon, and the sun beat down so powerfully as to render 
the heat very inconvenient :—oceasionally however a cl 
ef thick mist enveloped us—it was then extremely chilling 
: 
; 
3 
5 
