MONTE ROSA 283 



that it can be crossed without too much difficulty. In my first 

 journey in 1760, I ran some risk, and had difficulty in extricating 

 myself. The glacier at this time was almost impracticable on the 

 side opposite the Montenvers. I jumped the crevices which were not 

 too large, but one met with deep hollows in the ice into which one 

 had to let oneself slide to climb up the other side with extreme fatigue. 

 At other times, in order to cross the large and deep crevices, I had to 

 pass like a rope-dancer along very narrow ice-ridges which reached 

 from one side to the other. Good Pierre Simon, my first guide in the 

 High Alps, regretted much having allowed me to undertake this en- 

 terprise ; he ran backwards and forwards, searched for the least dan- 

 gerous places, cut steps in the ice, gave me a hand whenever possible, 

 and, at the same time, taught me the first elements of the art for 

 it is one of placing one's feet properly, balancing the body, and using 

 one's stick in difficult places. I escaped, however, without any injury 

 beyond some bruises which I suffered in letting myself slide volun- 

 tarily on the very rapid banks of ice we had to descend. Pierre Simon 

 descended sliding upright on his feet, his body bent backwards and 

 resting on his spiked stick. He thus reached the bottom without 

 hurting himself.' [Voyages, 616.] 



De Saussure goes on to describe the skill with which the guides 

 can glissade on steep slopes, adding, ' This exercise is far more 

 difficult than one would think, and one must have many tumbles 

 before attaining to real proficiency.' 



There is, I think, no doubt that the crossing of the Mer de 

 Glace was more formidable at this period than in recent times, and 

 that tourists, in order to avoid the Mauvais Pas, were often taken 

 a longer course over the ice. 



It should also be noted that this narrative refers to a date before 

 de Saussure had had any practice on a glacier, and nearly thirty 

 years before his two great expeditions to the Col du Geant and 

 Mont Blanc, and should be taken for what it is, an honest account 

 of a youth's initiation to the mountains. One of de Saussure's 

 most attractive qualities is his absolute honesty and absence of 

 striving after effect. He is always ready to tell a story against 

 himself as when he records how exhausted he was by being 

 hustled by his guide at a great pace down to Ghamonix from the 

 Plan de 1' Aiguille. 



' I came down too quickly ; my guide, fearing we should be be- 

 nighted in these deserts, made me descend at such a pace that, not 



