New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-10-26
Aso ension of chamouni by American.


and perilous ascension, performed by two intrepid
Americans-Mr Stuyvesant lie Roy, of New York,
and Mr.. Stephen W. Dana, of Boston.
They left early on the 2sth August The morning
was very cloudy, and gave but little promise of fine
weather. They traversed the Glacier des Blossoms
with great difficulty, from avalanches and new Gre
vases, caused by the warm sun of the preceding
days, and which again burst through the clouds,
smiling upon their courageous efforts, and giving
them, on their arrival at the Grands Mulets, most
magnificent sunset. They were again in motion early
on the morning of the 29h hoping soon to arrive at
the end of their journey But the great crevasse
which lies Just under the Dome du Goutez had opened
still farther to the little plateau, which was thus de-
prved Of its bridge of snow, obliging them to take
course much further round, and more difficult. They
forced to descend steps in the ice, and thence
begin more perilous ascent.
Meantime from o'clock in the morning, all the
inhabitants of Chamouni collected upon the square,
and in the hotels, to watch, Through their glasses
the courageous tourists. The weather was very
clear, but at one had been at the Petits
Muets which is the first point of view for the nhab
itants Of the valley.
The ladies' of the party, who had been left behind,
were in agony Of anxiety, and Mr.. Laibrog, pro-
prietor of the "Hotel D'Angleterre," formed the
ingenious idea in order to alay their fears to
the cannon to be fired, which to announce their
| arrival at the highest point. This was done-the
poor ladies strained their eyes, but could nothing
the fault was certainly in their glasses.
AT last the whole caravan appeared standing out
in strong relief upon the snow, above the Red Rocks
New salvos of artillery echoed among the everlasting
hills, noisy and more sincere than the last the
spy.glasses had recovered their optical powers and
the good ladies their serenity.
| We must now account for the detention which had
| caused such commotlon among the inhabitants Of
| the valley. One of the travellers, Mr.. Stephen w.
Dana, had undertaken ascension in spite of i'll
ness which had followed him for some days o tramp
Of eighteen hours in the had been sad specific
for his malady; but his American courage, which
among any other people would be called rashness,
made him Indifferent to his suferings. At every few
steps, however, he obliged to stop for breath, and
evidently grew weaker at each pause. His intrepid
companion, Mr.. LIE Roy, the second in the caravan,
walked on with the greatest ease, often aiding his
guide. During the two hours of the hard ascent of
the Colotte assisting much possible the courage
struggle between feebeness of body and strength
of will in Mr.. Dana, Mr.. lie Roy arrived the first
near the highest point Of Mont Blanc; but with gen
kindness, he waited for his companion, and all
the caravan-an event extremely rare-appeared at
the same moment on the summit.
| 10 see their enthusiasm their gambos, their GEES
tures they could appreciate the satisfaction caused in
Chamoun by their rude triumph The caravan des-
cended little on the station side, which gave them
a magnificent panorama and more genial atmos-
phere. Mr.. LIE Roy remained some time alone on the
very crest of Mont Blanc, waving in the clear air the
American flag, the colors of whose stripes and stars
could be clearly distinguished from the village.
After half hour of rest, they descended rapidly
some leaping from point to point, and others walk
ing, while the more weary crept upon their knees
The day too far advanced for them to return tc
Glamour, and they obliged to remain another
night at the "Grands Mulets," thus making three
days and two nights without sleep, proving thai
pleasure is expensive, and still more atiguing. 1t was
not until noon of the 30th August that they reeneret
Chamouni, preceded by the music of their guides
they found the Hotel DAngleterre decorated to re
ceive them, as their arrival conceded with iete
given in honor of the memory of DeSaussure and Bal
mot, presided over by Albert Smith, of London.
Mr.. LIE Roy suffered nothing in two hours he was
walking in full dress through the streets OF Chamouni
which, for this day, had lost their usually sad aspect
Mr. Dana suffered little from his previous indsposi
ton, but nights rest restored him. and he was able
to contemplate from more comfortable position the
field of his unheard of efforts and final success. The
example is contagious, for at this moment the boom
ing of artillery announces the arrival at the Grand
Mulets of two Englishmen. Old England will no
yield the palm to Young England and tomorrow VT
Shall behold, waving from the highest point of Mon
Blanc the folds Of the Golden Lion, if the journey
prosperous one; which I doubt, however, as thu
clouds are now gathering around the sides of thu
| mountains