The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-01 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sir,—The day before yesterday the ascent of Mont
Blanc was accomplished by another Englishman and
myself, under unusually favourable circumstances and
without any accident, although nearly 50 persons were
engaged in the work. On the evening of September 20
I found that some gentlemen' intended to go to the
Grands Mulets and to sleep in the little hut lately erected
there by the guides. The party consisted of Mr. Albert
Smith, Lord Killeen, Captain De Bathe, Mr. W. Rus-
sell, and Mr. Burrowes. , Another gentleman, Mr.
Shuldham, had also arranged to commence the ascent to
the summit on the same day, and, through the kindness
of Mr. Albert Smith, I was permitted with Mr. Fan-
shawe, a fellow-traveller, to accompany them. Mr.
Albert Smith, whose popularity in Switzerland is almost
romantic, gave a breakfast on the opening to 34 guides
who were engaged for the occasion, and at 9 o'clock a.m.
of September 21 the long cavalcade left Chamounix.
The weather was magnificent, not a cloud being visible,
11 and after seven hours' walking we all reached the Grands
Mulets—a place already familiarized to all who have
seen Mr. Albert Smith's panorama in London. We
dined on cold meat and punch made with melted snow ;
and then, when the setting sun left the last peak of the
mountain, we made a hard struggle to find room for
about 50 persons in a hut constructed to hold 20 at the
most. Gentlemen and guides, lying head and foot to-
gether, completely covered the floor, and one traveller
occupied a board nine inches wide, which had served
for a table. Presently some forty pipes and cigars
were lighted, and the atmosphere of the little
cabin became rapidly " tobacconized." It was, of
course, impossible for any one to sleep, but
the novelty of the situation and the incessant flow
of good humour made the night pass tolerably well.
On the preceding night I was unable to sleep from the
excitement which the prospect of such an undertaking
produces, and it is remarkable that several of the guides
were prevented from sleeping, from the same cause.
However, after two sleepless nights, we who were to go
on to the summit arose at 1 o'clock to continue the
ascent. Mr. Shuldham suffered from toothache and
was otherwise unwell, yet the indomitable perseverance
of an Englishman enabled him to proceed and to finish
the undertaking successfully. For myself, I felt perfectly
well, and had, therefore, much less difficulty in accom-
plishing the work. As our party left, the others, who
were to return next morning to Chamounix, the solitudes
of the snowy range were made to ring with three hearty
British cheers ' • and by the light of the moon, which at
that altitude shines almost like the sun itself; our long
string of 23 guides and travellers slowly marched over
the snow. The cold had not been of sufficient intensity
to freeze the snow into the proper consistency for sup-
porting the feet. At each measured step, therefore, we
sank nearly to the knees, and after about three hours of
this tiring process we attained the grand plateau, where
the effects of a rarefied atmosphere begin to be felt by
the traveller. Two of the gentlemen, who had kindly
accompanied us during part of the night, now returned
to their companions, still jovially packed in the little hut,
and Mr. Shuldham and myself, with our guides, con-
tinued the march. The night was so perfectly clear,
and the moonlight so bright, as to make the aid of lan-
terns superfluous. A large number of stars became visi-
ble, which could not be seen under other circumstances,
and when, about four o'clock, the east became rosy with
the ray of a rising sun, the whole scene was at once
awful and beautiful. The passage of the Mur de la Cote
was somewhat tedious, as nearly every step had to be cut
by the axe in the ice. Here even the guides became over-
powered by the sleepy air of the great dome above us.
Out of thirteen persons only two did not succumb to this
potent influence. At ten o'clock I sat down on the very
summit, and soon afterwards Mr. Shuldham, whose un-
conquerable pluck had sustained him through all the
difficulties, attained the same height, though com-
pelled by indisposition immediately to return. The
Queen's health, and that of the King of Sardinia, were
duly pledged in champagne, drunk out of a leathern
drinking cup. We ate chocolate and prunes, the pro-
visions most acceptable in those lofty places, but sleep
rather than hunger seemed to prevail. The view was
magnificent beyond description. From Lyons to Con-
stance and Genoa all was clear. Beyond that a faint
horizon could be distinguished, bounded by unknown
mountains, but wholly unobscured by clouds, or even
fog. After spending nearly an hour on the summit,
eating the icicles, which, in the form of large cuttle-fish
shells, constitute the great dome of Mont Blanc, the
descent commenced. In five minutes, by sliding on the
soft snow, we attained the spot which from below was
an hour from the top, and thus passsng rapidly over theh
ground, with the aid of our alpenstocks, we reached
_t_
ee
Grands Mulets, and, finally, the valley below. 3pf
bells rung a merry peal—we were Nos. 33 and 4 °
non
nbou-
those who had ascended Mont Blanc—then thetecad
boomed, and the damsels of Chamounix presen%
ascent,
quets. Seldom had there been so propitious
and, with Mr. Albert Smith as chairman,
party iwnhtohlee
party sat down next day to an excellent
in
ner
Chamounix,
open air, and with all the travellers t
The bridge was illuminated, the gecuhes
and the guides
as admiring spectators of the very coheawrafgrifisrteicdsactenine..
tervals, the Englishmen madeespmeoon
looked on, too,
sang lugubrious songs.Th
radiance, and an immense
brightly, but wlithoa calm
punch was distributed
ing effect. Thus ended
among the guests with
mountain in
soup-tureen full
the last ascent of the highest Europe, and I
f acoapeintalilven
of the •
cannot conclude this account Proceeding without
the observation, that a repetition of the enjoyment is
within the reach of every one who has good weather,
good guides, a good head, and sufficient energy for a
walk of 24 hours chiefly over deep snow, and without
sleep. Yours, &c.
Chamounix, Sept. 24.

JOHN MACGREGOR.

CUSTOM-HOUSE SALES.—At the show of goods sold
at the last Custom-bousq sale, a few days since, it was
found requisite to desire the services of some members of
the police to give attendance at the Queen's warehouse
in the Custom-house, while the articles were exposed to
public inspection. This is believed to be the first in-
stance of the police being used for the purpose, and
was is consequence of the influx of shipping and great
pressure of business requiring the services of the officers
of the Customs department usually employed for the
Purpose.