1 88 1 3 Return to Zermatt 



and four able-bodied fellows with a sedan chair Good 

 for Gilbert. There were also several Val Tour- ^'^^<i^'^- 

 nanche men who had got wind of our trouble and 

 come up over the Matterjoch, bringing food, wine, 

 and a rope. For a moment I thought that we 

 might have to fee the whole population, but when 

 they saw we were safe they melted away. Pure 

 kindness had brought them, and we acknowledged 

 their fine human friendliness in the same spirit. 

 That incident typified one reward of high moun- 

 taineering as expressed by Edward Whymper, who 

 writes gratefully of 



courtesies received from strangers' hands, trifles in them- 

 selves but expressive of that good will which is the essence of 

 charity. 



Our welcome in the village was most enthusiastic, 

 and the Matterhornbesteiger were the heroes of the 

 hour. In the foreign chapel prayers were offered 

 for the Queen of England and for President Gar- 

 field, then lately stricken down, and thanks were 

 given for our safe return. 



I afterward received from "John the Baptist" a letter 

 the following letter, which may be of interest as fj'°^ , 



1 . . r 1 11 ' ^^• John the 



the composition oi an unlearned but very intelli- 'Baptist 

 gent man. The sentence construction is generally 

 correct, but the words, as will be noted, are mostly 

 spelled by ear — not an easy thing to do in French. 



Valtournenche, le i6 Decbre, i88i 

 Monsieur Jordan: 



Cher Monsieur: — J'ai recus votres lettres le 15 courent, 

 laquelle a ete pour moi un grand plaisir, premierement en 

 aprenant que M. Gilbert etait parfaitement geri. Je regretais 

 toujours de ne pa vous avoir prie de me donner de ses nouvelles 



c 267 n 



