ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 33 



and it now came marching up the valley of the 

 glaciers until it reached our resting-place. Higher 

 and higher still, it drove the lovely glory of the sun- 

 light hefore it, until at last the vast Dome du Goute 

 and the summit itself stood out, ice-like and grim, in 

 the cold evening air, although the horizon still gleamed 

 with a belt of rosy light. 



Although this superb spectacle had faded away, 

 the scene was still even more than striking. The 

 fire which the guides had made, and which was now 

 burning and crackling on a ledge of rock a little 

 below us, threw its flickering light with admirable 

 effect upon our band. The men had collected round 

 the blaze, and were making some chocolate, as they 

 sang patois ballads and choruses : they were all evi- 

 dently as completely at home as they would have 

 been in their own chalets. We had arranged our- 

 selves as conveniently as we could, so as not to in- 

 convenience one another, and had still nothing more 

 than an ordinary wrapper over us; there had been 

 no attempt to build the tent with batons and canvas, 

 as I had read in some of the Mont Blanc narratives 

 the starry heaven was our only roofing. F. and 

 P. were already fast asleep. "VV. was still awake, and 

 I was too excited even to close my eyes in the attempt 

 to get a little repose. We talked for a while, and 

 then he also was silent. 



The stars had come out, and looking over the 

 plateau, I soon saw the moonlight lying cold and 



VOL. IV. C 



