ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 29 



were lost in the distance. The excitement of the 

 guides during this amusement was very remarkable : 

 a stand of betting-men could not have betrayed more 

 at the Derby. Their anxiety when one of the bottles 

 approached a crevice was intense ; and if the gulf 

 was cleared, they perfectly screamed with delight. 

 " Void un bon coureur/" or " Tiens ! comme il saut 

 bien ! " burst from them ; and " Le grand s'arrete ! " 

 " II est perdu guel dommage I " " Non il marche 

 encore/" could not have been uttered with more 

 earnestness had they been watching a herd of 

 chamois. 



It got somewhat chilly as the sun left the Mulets, 

 but never so cold as to be uncomfortable. "With my 

 back against the rock, and a common railway rug 

 over my feet and legs, I needed nothing else. My 

 knapsack was handy at my elbow to lean upon the 

 same old companion that had often served for my 

 pillow on the Mediterranean and the Xile ; and so 

 I had altogether the finest couch upon which a weary 

 traveller ever rested. 



I have, as yet, purposely abstained from describing 

 the glorious view above, around, and beneath us, for 

 the details of our bivouac would have interrupted me 

 as much as the arrangements actually did, until we 

 got completely settled for the night at least so much 

 of it as we were to pass there. The Grands Mulets 

 rocks are evidently the highest spines, so to speak, of 

 a ridge of the mountain dividing the origin of the 



