Chapter II. 



It would be a waste of words to discuss the necessity ot 

 taking Alpine guides on an expedition of wliich climbing 

 was to form the essential feature. Furtliermore, as there 

 was every reason to expect tliat, in the course of the 



AT A RAUAVAY STATION. 



exploration of a iiiountain range Avhose sunumts liad Ijeeii 

 estimated by previous travellers at heights varviiig from 

 16,000 to over 'JO, ()()() feet, prolonged sojourns al)ove th(^ siiow- 

 liiiiit would be necessary, the expedition liad to Ik* furnished 

 with tlif needful equipment for glacier camps, more or less 

 on the lines f)llo\vetl in the ascent of Mt. St. Elias in Alaska. 

 This involved tlie necessity of taking out European ])orteis as 

 w<'ll as guides, for it was impossible to count upon the 

 services of the natives Ijeyond the foot of the glaciers. 



The guides chosen for the expedition wei-e Jose])h Petigax, 

 the intelligent .nid devoted compaincm of the Duke in the Alps, 

 ill Alaska, and on the Polar Exp»Mlition, and (V'sar ( )llier. 

 I^.oth of these guides, as well as the poitei's, Joseph Giocherei 

 and Lament Petigax, were from ( 'ourmayeui-, in the Valley 



30 



