478 OLD ALPINE JOTTINGS. 



not say what obstacles the snow might oppose to us 

 above, but he was resolute and hopeful. My desire had 

 long been to complete the Matterhorn by making a 

 pass over its summit from Breuil to Zermatt. In this 

 attempt my guide expressed his willingness to aid me, 

 his interest in the project being apparently equal to 

 my own. 



He however only knew the Zermatt side of the moun- 

 tain through inspection from below; and he acknow- 

 ledged that a dread of it had taken possession of him 

 during the previous year. That feeling however had 

 disappeared, and he reasoned that as Mr.Whymper and 

 the Taugwalds had safely descended, we should be able 

 to do the same. On the Friday we climbed to the Col 

 de la Furka, examined from it the northern face of the 

 pyramid, and discovered the men who were engaged 

 in building the cabin on that side. "We worked after- 

 wards along the ridge which stretches from the Matter- 

 horn to the Theodule, crossing its gulleys and scaling 

 all its heights. It was a pleasant piece of discipline on 

 ground new to both my guide and me. 



On the Thursday evening a violent thunderstorm 

 had burst over Breuil, discharging new snow upon the 

 heights but also clearing the oppressive air. Though 

 the heavens seemed clear in the early part of Friday, 

 clouds showed a disposition to meet us from the south 

 as we returned from the Theodule. I inquired of my 

 companion whether in the event of the day being fine, 

 he was willing to start on Sunday. His answer was a 

 prompt negative. In Val Tournanche, he said, they 

 always ' sanctified the Sunday.' I referred to Bennen, 

 my pious Catholic guide, whom I permitted and en- 

 couraged to attend his mass on all possible occasions, 

 but who nevertheless always yielded without a murmur 

 to the demands of the weather. The reasoning had its 



