1817.] to the Summit of Mount Blanc. 99 
great degree removed by the expedient of tying ourselves together 
with our long rope, which being fastened at proper distances to our 
waists, secured from the principal hazard such as might fall within 
the opening of the gulf. Trusting to the same precaution, we also 
erossed upon our ladder without apprehension such of the chasms as 
were exposed to view; and, sometimes stopping in the middle of 
the ladder, looked down in safety upon an abyss which baffled the 
reach of vision, and from which the sound of the masses of ice that 
we repeatedly let fali in no instance ascended to the ear. In some 
places we were obliged to cut footsteps with our hatchet; yet, on 
the whole, the difficulties were far from great; for in two hours and 
a half we had passed the glaciere. We now, with more ease, and 
much more expedition, pursued our way, having only snow to cross, 
and in two hours arrived at a hut which had been erected in the 
year 1786 by the order, and at the expense, of M. de Saussure. 
The hut was situated on the eastern side of a rock which had all the 
appearance of being rotten with age, and which in fact was ina 
state of such complete decay, that, on my return the next evening, 
I saw scattered on the snow many tons of its fragments, which had 
fallen in my absence; but the ruin was not on the side on which the 
hut was built. Immediately on our arrival, which was at five in the 
afternoon, the guides began to empty the hut of its snow; and at 
seven we sat down to eat; but our stomachs had little relish for food, 
and felt a particular distaste for wine and spirits. Water, which we 
obtained by melting snow in a kettle, was the only palatable drink. 
Some of the guides complained of a heavy disheartening sickness 5 
and my Swiss servant, who had accompanied me at his own request, 
was seized with excessive vomiting, and the pains of the severest 
headach. But from these complaints, which apparently arose from 
the extreme lightness of the air in those elevated regions, I myself 
and some of the guides were free, except, as before observed, that 
we had little appetite for food, and a strong aversion to the taste of 
spirituous liquors. We now prepared for rest ; on which two of the 
guides, preferring the open air, threw themselves down at the en- 
trance of the hut, and slept upon the rock. I too was desirous of 
sleep; but my thoughts were troubled with the apprehension that, 
although I had now completed one half of the road, the vapours 
might collect on the summit of the mountain, and frustrate all my 
hopes. Or if at any time the rest I wished for came, my repose 
was soon disturbed by the noise of the masses of snow which were 
loosened by the wind from the heights around me, and which, ac- 
cumulating in bulk as they rolled, tumbled at length from the pre- 
cipices into the vales below, and produced upon the ear the effect of 
redoubled bursts of thunder. At two o’clock I threw aside my 
blankets, and went out of the hut to observe the appearance of the 
heavens. ‘The stars shone witha lustre that far exceeded the bright- 
ness which they exhibit when seen from the usual level ; and had so 
little tremor in their light, as to leave no doubt on my mind that, if 
viewed from the summit of the mountain, they would have appeared 
G 2 
