98 M. Boussingault's Account of 



a rock, the unattached thermometer stood also at T^'.S cent. I 

 sought, but in vain, for a corner, in which I might be able to 

 ascertain the mean temperature of the station. One foot under 

 the snow the thermometer stood at 0" cent. ; but this snow was 

 in a melting state, so that it could not afford any other result. 



After a few instants' repose we had entirely recovered from 

 our fatigues. None of us experienced the sufferings of which 

 most persons complain during the ascent of mountains. Three 

 quarters of an hour after our arrival, Colonel Hall's pulse beat 

 106 times in a minute. We were thirsty ; we were evidently in 

 a state of slight fever ; but this was not at all troublesome. My 

 friend was extravagantly lively, and his humour inexhaustible, 

 while he was occupied in sketching our ice-hell, as he termed 

 our neighbourhood. 



The voice of my companion was so much altered, that, 

 imder all other circumstances, it would have been impossible to 

 recognise it. The feeble sound which the strokes of my ham- 

 mer made, even when I struck the rocks with redoubled strength, 

 astonished us exceedingly. 



The rarity of the air generally produces remarkable effects 

 on persons who ascend high mountains. Saussure was in- 

 disposed at the summit of Mont Blanc, and had an inclina- 

 tion to faintishness. His guides, who were all natives of the 

 Valley of Chamouny, were affected in the same manner. This 

 indisposition increased when he moved, or when, while observ- 

 ing his instruments, he directed his attention to a particular 

 object. The first Spaniards who attempted the ascent of the 

 high mountains of America, were, as D'Acosta reports, attacked 

 by sickness and pain in the bowels. Bonguer had several 

 hemorrhages, on the Cordilleras of Quito, and Zumstein suffered 

 from the same cause on Monte Rosa. Humboldt and Bonpland, 

 during their ascent of Chimborazo, on the 23d June 1802, felt 

 a tendency to vomit, and the blood rushed from the lips and 

 gums. In regard to ourselves, we experienced, it is true, so 

 long as we ascended, a difficulty of breathing and unusual 

 weakness ; but we got free of this evil when we ceased moving. 

 And when we sat down, we believed that we were in our usual 

 state of health. Perhaps our insensibility to the action of ra- 

 refied air is to be ascribed to our long residence in the high 



