492 OLD ALPINE JOTTINGS. 



nearly half-past eleven when we quitted the summit. 

 The descent of the roof -like slope already referred to 

 offered no difficulty; but the gradient very soon became 

 more formidable. One of the two faces of the Mat- 

 terhorn pyramid seen from Zermatt falls towards the 

 Zmutt glacier, and has a well-known snow-plateau at 

 its base. The other face falls towards the Furgge 

 glacier. We were on the former. For some time, how- 

 ever, we kept close to the arete formed by the intersec- 

 tion of the two faces of the pyramid, because nodules of 

 rock jutted from it which offered a kind of footing. 

 These rock protuberances helped us in another way: 

 round them an extra rope which we carried was frequent- 

 ly doubled, and we let ourselves down by the rope as far 

 as it could reach, liberating it afterwards (sometimes 

 with difficulty) by a succession of jerks. In the choice 

 and use of these protuberances the guides showed both 

 judgment and skill. The rocks became gradually larger 

 and more precipitious ; a good deal of time being con- 

 sumed in dropping down and doubling round them. 

 Still we preferred them to the snow-slope at our left as 

 long as they continued practicable. 



This they at length ceased to be, and we had to 

 commit ourselves to the slope. It was in the worst pos- 

 sible condition. When snow first falls at these great 

 heights it is usually dry, and has no coherence. It 

 resembles to some extent flour, or sand, or sawdust. 

 Shone upon by a strong sun it shrinks and becomes 

 more consolidated, and when it is subsequently frozen it 

 may be safely trusted. Even though the melting of the 

 snow and its subsequent freezing may be only partial, 

 the cementing of the granules adds immensely to the 

 safety of the footing; but then the snow must be 

 employed before the sun has had time to unlock the 

 rigidity imparted to it by the night's frost. We were 



