l'i:.\KS AND PASSES 387 



green, 1 wore one on a liigli ex|MMlit ion. 1 was tVcsli fVom 

 Eiio'laiid ami iii\' conijilexioii was dclieule. Tlic woollen 

 foNcriiig preserved il in ]>ciTrclioii, all cxcciit ni\- nnfor- 

 innalr nose, which was eookeil into a resemblanec to a 

 well-brow ned cutlet. 



Soon aflcr wi' look to the ice, it liccainc clcai' that 

 our work was cut out tor us, owing to the depth of fresh 

 snow. li soon reached lialfwaN' to our knees, and, at the 

 Ch'auds Mulcts, a halt for breakfast was an acce})table relief. 

 We stood outside, for the rocks were covered witli fresli 

 snow, and no ap})etite could stand the stale concentrated 

 smell of {\iQ ccibcDH', caused by the surplus scraps left behind 

 by several ^lont Blanc parties, which means no small 

 ])ickings, as anybody can tell, who has had to pay a 

 [iro\ision bill at Chaniouni. 



LeaxiuL;- the Grands .Mulcts we crossed the glacier, and 

 got on to the low^er slopes of the Dome by some steej) 

 roeks, forming the eommoncement of tlie clitf which, higher 

 up. overhangs the I'dit IMalcau. We chose this wa\' 

 because, beinir the most direct, we thouuiit it would be 

 the shortest, and also because we lio|ie(l that llie snow 

 Would not lia\c rented m sudi ipumtitu'.-, on the exposed 

 ridge, as in the valley. JUit this very circumstance ]iroved 

 a hindrance, as the hot weather of -July had consolidated 

 the neve, and where it had been blown (dear of snow, steps 

 had to be cut in liai-(l ice. Opposite the Petit I'latcau 

 the ridu'e we were on begins to expand into iircat swclliii"- 

 fields and hills of snow, and over these it was not particu- 

 larly easy to steer a correct course thioiiMh the ha/e which 

 now closed in u[»ou us. It was on tlii>e wide white hills 

 that Mr. Xettleship so gallantly fought for his life this 



