Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1851-09-17
ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.

CHAMoNIx, Aug. I4.-This quiet AIpin
valley has for the last week been in mos
unusual state of activity and excitement
About seven days ago the people learner
that three students from the University o
Oxford, and an English author, were get,in.
themselves into condition for attempting th
ascent of Mont Blanc Guides and villager
were at once on the qui uiue, and the ad
ven.urous party were regarded with muci
interest wherever they went On Tues.
day morning, at seven o'clock, ell the pre-
parations being complete, the party sci ou
from the hotel de Londres. ]. included Mr.
Floyd, said to be son Of the general o
that name, and cousin Of Sir. Rober, Peel
Mr.. Phillips, third Oxfordman and Mr.
Albert Smith, with sixteen guides, six.eer
porters, and number of aspirants Tor tht
post Of guide, who attended the voyager.
for the purpose Of learning the route TO the
summit Of the Mountain.
After their departure telescopes were fixed
from the windows Of the inn, and in o,he,
places, to watch the progress Of the toilsome
ascent, and before six O'Clock it was evident
that the voyagers had crossed the grea. gla-
cier, and had arrived at their resting place
for the nigh.-ton the Grands .Mulets.-
Yesterday morning, as soon as day-ligh,
afforded a clear view, the adveniurers were
again visible by aid Of good glass, and by
twelve O'Clock were seen making the final
ascent. They rested on the summit. for
about twenty minutes and then commenced
their decent, arriving here last nigh. abou,
seven o'clock. The excitement during the
previous twenty -four hours had been very
great in Chamonix. Anxious wives and
parents having husbands and sons amongst
the party up in the SHOWS, and the interest
being by no means diminished by the fac.
that Sir Robert Peel (who had arrived here
after the departure Of his relative for the as
cent? invited nearly all the men remaining
in the village, about sixty in number, to an
entertainment provided at an auberge, where
they were supplied with wine and other po-
pular liquids in which to drink s'the health
of the Englishmen who were sleeping on
Mont Blanc"
This ceremony was performed very zeal
ously, and repeated in most willing manner
again and again til long a(ler midnight
When in the evening the party from Mon.
Blanc approached the village, nearly all the
inhabitants assembled to NEE. them. Guns
were fired in quick succession; the hsrps
and fddles of the valley were in requisition
and a sort Of half comical, half .riumphal
scene ensued. The travellers and guides
looked very jaded and sun scorchad, and
had very bloodshot eyes and rather dilapi-
dated costumes, but in other respects SEEM
ed to be in tolerable condition. This sue
cessful ascent by four Englishmen turns the
scale of numbers in favor OF the English E;
the French tourists having been hitherto ac-
customed to point with satisfaction to the
fact that more of their countrymen than Of
ours had succeeded in reaching the top OF
the King Of Alps. The present forms the
25h ascent-the first dating in 1852. The
cost as well as the labor and danger of,hese
daring excursions is very great. The talk
of the village declares tina. the ascent will
cost the party of four travellers fully E15O.