APPENDIX C. 



AUGUSTS BALM AT. 

 From ALFRED WILLS, ESQ. 



LE NID D'AIGLE, SIXT, October 1st, I.s7'2. 



No account of the travels of our late friend Principal Forbes 

 would be complete without a notice of Augusts Balmat, and 

 I therefore gladly comply with your request that I would 

 send you some reminiscences of him. During the (then) Pro- 

 fessor's prolonged observations on the Mer de Glace, Balmat was 

 constantly in his service, and by his intelligence and faithfulness 

 undoubtedly contributed to their success. Professor Forbes, on 

 the other hand, helped largely to make him the priceless 

 treasure he was when I knew him a perfect guide. 



I made the acquaintance of Balmat in 1852, by which time 

 he had already gained some celebrity as a guide. I was greatly 

 struck by the absence of false modesty or bashful timidity from 

 his bearing; and although he might sometimes be guilty of a 

 conventional solecism, in all graver respects he was sure to 

 speak and act like a gentleman. At a subsequent period, he 

 stayed for many weeks at my house, always as a member of our 

 family circle, where he won everyone's good will by the ease 

 and courtesy of his demeanour. 



His appearance was remarkable. He was of the middle 

 height, but the great breadth of his shoulders and the muscular 

 development of his back and chest, gave him the appearance of 

 not being so tall as he really was. His head was large, erect, 

 and well set, while his broad and lofty forehead and squarely cut- 

 features gave to his face an appearance of firmness and decision, 

 ill according with the only serious blemish in his character a 



