74 
The Alpine Club was the first club in the world to recognise 
mountaineering as a great sport, and it had records of many 
notable ascents. Only three of the original members of the 
club are now living. Englishmen had been the pioneer 
mountain explorers the world over. They had paved the 
way where others had gone after them. They felt that it was 
the finest sport in the world, and was to be treated seriously, 
and no trifling must be indulged in. They knew there was 
an element of danger, but with forethought, prudence, and 
the putting into practice of well-established maxims, risks 
could be reduced to a minimum. The game should be played 
fairly and squarely or not at all. Guideless climbing was 
common, but he did not advocate it unless four seasons of 
apprenticeship had been served, and even then it would be 
better to have good guides. Trade Unionism had in some 
localities spoiled good guides and the young climber was often 
in a fix what to do. The mountains to climb were the 
Chamounix mountains, the Aiguilles and the Dolomites, which, 
though they looked inaccessible, were considerably easy, 
because there was always handhold and foothold. Two years 
ago there was an earthquake in Chamounix, and this year 
some of the mountains previously climbed were impracticable 
on account of the rock being shattered. The Chamounix 
people had very little initiative. They exposed for sale many 
photographs of English rock scenes as being Swiss Aiguilles. 
The slides, which were much appreciated, embraced views 
of the Matterhorn, Chaniouni, the Mer de Glace, Dent de 
Geant, the Aiguilles, Mont Blanc ; and, in Norway, the 
Skagastobstinder (a most difficult rocky peak), the Roms- 
dalhorn, and the peaks of the Lofoden Islands ; as well as 
views of the Welsh and Scottish mountains and those of the 
English Lake district. 
