OLD ALPTKE JOTTINGS. 497 



reached the cabin, and between it and the base of the 

 pyramid we lost our way. It was late when we 

 regained it, and by the time we reached the ridge of 

 the Hornli we were unable to distinguish rock from ice. 

 We should have fared better than we did if we had kept 

 along that ridge and felt our way to the Schwarz-See, 

 whence there would have been no difficulty in reaching 

 Zermatt. But we left the Hornli to our right, and 

 found ourselves incessantly checked in the darkness by 

 ledges and precipices, possible and actual. We were 

 afterwards entangled in the woods of Zmutt, but finally 

 struck the path and followed it to Zermatt, which we 

 reached between one and two o'clock in the morning. 



[In the woods of Zmutt I was beset by overpowering sleepiness, 

 which disappeared in the open. Madame Seiler divined the mean- 

 ing of my knocking for admittance to the Monte Rosa Hotel. *It 

 is the Professor,' she said, ' who has come over the Matterhorn.' 

 While food was preparing, Mr. Seiler asked me whether, in view of 

 future ascents, it would not be wise to place ropes or chains at the 

 dangerous points. ' By doing so,' I replied, 'you will save life, but 

 you will spoiJ the mountain.' I made the acquaintance of Seiler 

 thirty-three years ago. To the sorrow of his friends, his well- known 

 figure will be seen at Zermatt no more. — October 1891 1 



