THE ASCEXT OF MONT BLANC 



in an electric storm, which Hterally 

 caused their hair to stand on end, and 

 sparks were felt all over their bodies, 

 which were bathed in electricity. This 

 experience on the summit caused Vallot 

 to think about erecting a refuge near 

 the top. 



The transportation of building ma- 

 terials to such a height offered the great- 

 est difficulties. One hundred and ten 

 guides and porters were engaged, each 

 of whom carried 35 pounds. Since 1891 

 the hut has been enlarged and a separate 

 building for an observatory erected. 



Here we stop for a short rest. Our 

 guides try to eat a few morsels, but they 

 soon think better of it and give up the 

 attempt. 



th:E dromedary's humps 



From the refuge the route follows the 

 crest of the ridge all the way to the 

 summit, passing over the two camel-like 

 mounds known as the "Bosses du 

 Dromadaire," whence the route is called 

 that of the "Bosses." Though the dis- 

 tance seems trifling, two hours of pain- 

 ful effort were still before us. 



The air has now become so rare that 

 even the stoutest guide is compelled to 

 take breath every few steps. If you ever 

 saw an asthmatic man trying to walk up 

 hill while a paroxysm was on him, you 

 can form some idea of the difficulty of 

 this last part of the ascent. The heart 

 thumps irregularly, the pulse goes up to 

 100, your knees knock together, and your 

 poor legs seem unwilling to carry you. 

 Your throat is parched, you feel suffo- 

 cated, your chest seems to be loaded down 

 with a great weight, and such a feeling 

 of utter exhaustion ! 



And withal it is extremely cold, some- 

 what below zero, and a fierce cutting 

 wind sweeping up from the Italian side. 

 As long as we rested we felt less incon- 

 venience, but as soon as we were again 

 in motion our legs seemed like lead and 

 it was almost impossible to drag our 

 bodies higher. Where the ridge crosses 

 the Bosses it is in places exceedingly 

 steep — in some places even 45°, where 

 each step had to be hewn into the ice — 

 and at times it narrows to less than a 

 foot in width, so that it was a difficult 



matter to rest. As each in turn lay down 

 for a few moments on the slope, the 

 others had to stand and hold him in posi- 

 tion. 



And part of the time we felt like pro- 

 ceeding on all fours, or even bestriding 

 the crest, for to look down the precipices 

 on either side made us nervous. 



A slip might be disastrous, for being 

 roped together one might drag all the 

 others down with him, and if you fell 

 you would bound from snow-ledge to 

 snow-ledge for perhaps 2,500 feet on the 

 French side to the Grand Plateau, and 

 still further on the Italian side, and you 

 might not find time to decide into which 

 country you would like to go. 



SI^NSATIONS AT THE) MOUNTAIN TOP 



At last, two hours after leaving the 

 Grand Plateau, we are on the summit. 

 And what do you think is the first use 

 made of the glorious view after all these 

 hours of toil? Do you open your eyes 

 wide in astonishment at the wonderful 

 sight ? By no means ! You shut them 

 as tight as you can and throw yourself 

 down on the snow in utter weariness of 

 mind and body, resenting the imperti- 

 nence of your guides, who urg'e you to 

 look about. But it is too cold to sleep, 

 and soon you are up trying to keep 

 warm. 



The view, if you have any desire to 

 see it, is indeed incomparable. The pano- 

 rama before you is immense; but every- 

 thing is on such a grand scale, great 

 agglomerations of plains and mountains, 

 that all details escape you. Most of 

 Switzerland, great portions of France as 

 far south as Lyons, and the plains of 

 Piedmont and Lombardy, in Italy^ are 

 spread out before you (see page 897). 



The enormous size of the giant among 

 mountains, which you have just as- 

 cended, impresses you. The entire Ber- 

 nese Oberland, with its countless lofty 

 peaks, is below you. At the end of the 

 long Pennine chain, on the western pin- 

 nacle of which you are standing, is the 

 sister summit, Monte Ros-a, the second 

 highest in the Alps, and just to its left 

 the unforgettable form of the Matter- 

 horn, with mountains still over it in the 

 distance, and nothing gives you a more 



