aa, Be zs ze: Se See ent aes ee ee 
ae 2 a a 2 $2 
448 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
certain that the guides said they were, and that it would not do to remain 
longer in such a wind. What the temperature was I do not know, 
although there was.a minimum thermometer there which had been 
placed by the Alpine Club. But I could not make out anything from it 
becau 
But this is not the descent. I confess I was, more nervous about 
going down than I had been at any time in going up. e hour was 
consumed in the first eight hundred feet—then soon after we came 
the dome up which our zigzags ran and which we had climbed so slowly 
in the morning with our faces to the wall and our toes in holes in the 
ice ing our way along, a step ata time. Soon we saw, below, the 
where r t of the ascent both begin and end,—to cele- 
brate with them our victory, when we had come once more into safe 
places. Four hundred or five hundred feet above this spot the leading 
il 
clivity at the risk of our pantaloons. However, the sun, which was 
cold on the top, was warmer here, and the loose snow was soft toa 
depth of three or four inches, and the guides meant to improve it; 80 
when all was ready Blatter sat down behind me, and off went the five 
like a kind of human sled. The guides’ alpenstocks, managed by their 
strong and skillful arms, kept us in line, an 
. somewhat. But they had, after 
wi ich had been taken off at lunch came out again, and 
< 
Wp our minds to see if we could accomplish it in that time. The 
