LIFE IN THE ALPS. 315 



but often air which has passed through the lungs of 

 the animals underneath. The result, as regards health, 

 is not satisfactory, the women and children suffering 

 most. Were it not that the contaminated respiration 

 of the night is neutralised by outdoor life during the 

 day, the result would be still less satisfactory. 



Thanks to a liberal London chemist, I am provided, 

 from time to time, with simple medicines for those re- 

 quiring medical treatment, and with plaisters for those 

 requiring surgeon's aid. Thanks also to the physicians 

 who visit the Bel Alp Hotel, I am sometimes able to 

 apply these remedies with specially good effect. In 

 the absence of a qualified doctor I do the best I can 

 myself. The peasants come to me in considerable num- 

 bers, while I frequently go to them. 



I do my best to induce the people to open the win- 

 dows of their sleeping-rooms during the day. The 

 advice is, in many cases, attended to ; while, even where 

 it is neglected, whenever I am seen approaching a hut 

 containing a patient, the windows are thrown open. 

 Justice, firmness, and kindness suffice to make people 

 accept an almost despotic rule; and this, in my own 

 small way, I find to be true of my Alpine neighbours. 



As I write, a rush, followed by a heavy thud, informs 

 me that a mass of snow has shot from the southern 

 slope of our roof down upon our terrace. The rush is 

 one of a series, brought down by the strong morning 

 sun. This reminds me to tell you something more 

 about the avalanches which are such frequent destroyers 

 of life in the Alps. "Whole villages, imprudently situ- 

 ated, are from time to time overwhelmed. We had an 

 eye to this danger when we chose the rocky prominence 

 on which our cottage is built. 



Climbers and their guides are not unfrequently 

 21 



