Summit of Mount Blanc, 5 
and uncomfortable. While on the grand Mulet we observ- 
ed a beautiful butterfly, of the most vivid and brilliant col- 
ours, making its way towards the summit of the mountain. 
At 6 P.M. Reaumur’s Thermometer stood at 4°,(41° of Fah- 
renheit) above freezing. With the aid of a blanket, and a 
sheet placed so as to keep off the wind we formed a eared 
ble tent, and lay down to refresh ourselves. Night soox 
closed upon us, and rendered our situation still more airplith 
ing ante aout rg of darkness was we wel by roi 
big hard, ¥ we sane wit 2 t fatigue or danger, to 
the grand Plateat ice of 4 leagues : it isa plain, with 
am ele eX ueates 
; tending al Ya F 
ss mate some time, and one the 
pa found himself anabile th proceed. We however went 
on after taking some refreshment: the air was much rarefi- ~ 
ed, and the sun exceedingly warm. At the end of the Pla- 
teau began the steepest ascent :—dreadful avalanches that 
seemed falling with their own weight hung over our way, 
while fearful chasms yawned beneath us. The elevation 
was too great to allow us to ascend in a straight line, our 
path therefore was in a zigzag course towards the = every 
step being cut in the ice with a hatchet. ‘The path was so 
difficult and the rarefaction of the air so great, that even the 
stoutest guides could notadvance more than fifteen steps with- 
out stopping to rest—and Mr. H. found himself so much in- 
commoded, that we feared he would have to return. His 
perseverance enabled him to proceed, and at 11 o’clock we | 
arrived at the petit Mulet, a granitic rock that just shows 
itself above the snow ; here some of the guides being much 
fatigued we rested some time. From this rock the ascent — 
is not steep, but very fatiguing, on account of the rarefac- 
tion of the air—we however reached the summit at half past 
12—and stood upon the highest point os min The top 
is formed by a ridge running N. Ean S. W. about 12 feet — 
above the little plain that lies to the neeebs As to the depth 
of snow upon it we are unable to form a conjecture. Bo- - 
naparte, after many fruitless attempts, succeeded in having — 
