# My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus (1895)

MY CLIMBS IN THE
ALPS AND CAUCASUS
BOOKS ON CLIMBING.
CONWAY AND COOLIDGE'S GUIDES.
Limp cloth, gold lettered, with pocket, flap and pencil, 10s.net.
* CENTRAL PENNINE ALPS.
* EASTERN PENNINE ALPS.
* THE LEPONTINE ALPS.
* CENTRAL ALPS OF THE DAUPHINY
* CHAIN OF MONT BLANC.
* ADULA ALPS OF THE LEPOITTZNE RANGE
* MOUNTAINS OF COGNE.
* THE RANGE OF THE TODI Six Coloured Maps of the Alps of the Dauphiny, on linen, in cloth case 4s. 6d. the set.
By W. M. CONWAY.
CLIMBING AND EXPLORATION
IN THE
KARAKORAM-HIMALAYAS.
800 Illustrations by A. D. McCormick. One Vol., with small Map, 81s. 6d. net.
Two Vols., numbered and signed, large Map In case, £5 6s. net
Also
TWO SEASONS IN SWITZERLAND.
By HERBEBT MABSH, R.N. Illustrated by photographs by O. Williamson.
Buckram, 10s. 6d. net.
[To be published in September.
London: T. FISHER UNWIN.
THE WEISSHORN PIERCING THROUGH THE GREYNESS.
MY CLIMBS IN THE ALPS AND CAUCASUS BY A. F. MUMMERY
illustrated
LONDON T. FISHER UNWIN
NEW YORK CHAS. SCRIBNER'S SONS
MDCCCXCV
All rights reserved.
PREFACE.
Fate decrees that the mountaineer should, sooner or later, fall a victim to the furor scribendi, and, since it is useless for a mere mortal to contend with the gods, I have yielded to their behests. A fitting reward has been allotted me; though the delight of wandering among the great snow fields, of climbing the jagged ridges, and of plunging down through the primeval forest of some Caucasian valley, cannot be rivalled by the rarest fabric built of memory, yet the piecing together of old incidents, the interweaving of the laughter and the fears, the desperate struggles and the wild triumph of old-won victories, has tinged many a winter evening with the gorgeous colouring of Alpine sunsets and has knitted more firmly the bonds of well-tried friendships; to some extent, even, it has brought me nearer to that reckless, lucky, tireless youth, when the grass slopes, and the stones, and the other ills of life, had not found the art of troubling.
​I fear no contributions to science, or topography, or learning of any sort are to be found sandwiched in between the story of crags and séracs, of driving storm and perfect weather. To tell the truth, I have only the vaguest ideas about theodolites, and as for plane tables, their very name is an abomination. To those who think with me, who regard mountaineering as unmixed play, these pages are alone addressed. Should they, in some dim afterglow fashion, reflect the joy and frolic of sunshine holidays, their utmost mission will have been accomplished, and pride will mightily inflate their author.
My sincerest thanks are due to those friends who have so kindly placed drawings and photographs at my disposal; indeed, I feel that my debt to them is wholly beyond expression.
A. F. MUMMERY.
CONTENTS.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT.
| | PAGE |
| TOURISTS | 2 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| ZERMATT FASHIONS | 3 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| AN "OFF DAY" AT THE MONTE ROSA HOTEL | 8 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| CONSULTING THE GUIDES | 10 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| NEUBRÜCKE | 26 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| STALDEN | 27 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| NEAR ZERMATT | 27 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| THE HIGH STREET | 28 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| THE TRIFTBACH BRIDGE | 48 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| THE VILLAGE OF ZERMATT | 67 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| THE RIFFEL PATH | 95 |
| From a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| THE "CRACK" | 156 |
| From a photograph by Miss Bristow. |
| GOATS | 186 |
| From a sketch by Miss Bristow. |
| THE BLAITIÉRE AND PLAN | 188 |
| From a photograph by Mr. Holmes. ​ |
| IN THE VAL D'AOSTE | 229 |
| From a sketch by Miss E. Petherick. |
| COURMAYEUR | 240 |
| From a sketch by Miss Bristow. |
| GOING TO CHURCH | 242 |
| From a sketch by Miss Bristow. |
| A STREET IN COURMAYEUR | 256 |
| From a sketch by Miss E. Petherick. |
| DYCH TAU FROM THE SOUTH | 270 |
| From a photograph by Signor Sella. |
| JANGA FROM THE BEZINGI GLACIER | 286 |
| From a photograph by Mr. Woolley. |
| A SUANETIAN VILLAGE | 302 |
| From a photograph by Mr. Woolley. |
PLATES.
| THE WEISSHORN PIERCING THROUGH THE GREYNESS | Frontispiece | Frontispiece | Frontispiece | Frontispiece |
| A lithograph plate from a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
| MATTERHORN | to | face | page | 17 |
| A photogravure from a photograph by Signor Sella. |
| CHARMOZ | ,, | ,, | ,, | 96 |
| A photogravure from a drawing by Miss Bristow. |
| THE GRÉPON | ,, | ,, | ,, | 128 |
| A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes. |
| THE LOWER PEAK OF THE GRÉPON | ,, | ,, | ,, | 135 |
| A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes. |
| A CRAG ON THE GRÉPON | ,, | ,, | ,, | 150 |
| From a photograph by Mr. Holmes. |
| MONT BLANC AND THE DENT DU REQUIN | ,, | ,, | ,, | 160 |
| A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes. |
| MONT BLANC AND THE AIGUILLE DU PLAN | ,, | ,, | ,, | 183 |
| A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes. |
| THE VERTE | ,, | ,, | ,, | 232 |
| A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes. |
| DYCH TAU | ,, | ,, | ,, | 261 |
| A photogravure from a photograph by Signor Sella. |
| GUIDES ON A CLOUDY DAY AT THE RIFPEL | ,, | ,, | ,, | 324 |
| A lithograph plate from a drawing by Mr. Pennell. |
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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