Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-02-05

L say 1t, who perhaps should not y not that
the dread of dangers subverted the DESIRE nor
that could not bring to bear the energy and
| fortitude the task requires There are other
reasons, which | shall presently detail. There
is consolation in the knowledge that my fail
ures were only two in ten thousand, for if a
faithful catalogue had been maintained, they
would surely reach that number | am, there
fore, not the only individual who has turned
his back on the defiant peak with q veXed
spirit, and then wondered why nature has shut
her portals of snow directly in my face 1t
was clear | was not chosen one no matter
how burning my ardor or intense my desires
Bulwer has written a famous line" In the
bright lexicon of youth there is no such word
as fail, and there is a sea of apothegms float
ing from lip to lip in which we are told mot
to be cast down." but try on, try ever" and
upward, onward Excelsior ~ but all this
pralSeworthy advice does not stand ones friend
when Mont Blanc makes up his mind You shall
not stroll on his crown. He mocks your might
est efforts, laughs at your spent skill and cold
ly spurnS you from his breast 1t takes more
than maXimS to surmount chasm, and in the
matter OF glaciers, pair of hobnailed boots is
worth the tersest epithetS ever coined. Never
go to Savoy with nothing to your back but
proverbs. They will serve you only as stairs
of sand E
My first essay in the Chamouni vale was
early in the month of June ; and having con-
suited the chef of the guides, he assured me
that it was at least a month too early to make
the ascent. At that time, not fully compre-
hendng the difficulties, pressed the matter,
and at my suggestion he collected the guides
and separately questioned each as to the pro-
pricty of the undertaking. A murmur ran
through the group and with one exception,
they all refused, urging that the glaciers were
in too dangerous condition at that early pc
rlOd of the year \ glance ut the Arye after
wards convinced me of their knowledge in this !
respect, as that stream was swollen from the
water of the glaciers TO the extent of overflow |
ing in many places. Ten hours after cross
cd the Ide N0jre, with the conviction that
Mont Blame would, some other day, claim the |
honor Of my society it did.
left my card for him next, late in the |
month Of August, when the weather was SUI |
perb and not wreath Of mist had been seen in !
in the valley for week Chamouni (provok- |
ing fact, was full of company al the time, and
the whole community, from La CompteSse d.
Anglrbert, at the Hotel Royal, TO the dirty
hurd-ygurdy 10y at the Pe!erns, predicted
should he successful.
The night before the morningI was to start. !
albeit retired early for the purpose of re-
freshing, | did not close my eyes, or if | did, |
they might as well have been open. All |
could do was to get up and look out of the
window at the moon, and then seek my pillow
again, which i'll no way encouraged the desire
to SlumhCr
| arose at fye and the Aorid east, as far as
the mountain barriers would permit the gaze
to extend, gave promise of brilliant day |
Many of the guests of the Hotel de IIondreS |
were assembled to see me start, and the guides |
and pOrters (Seven in number) were equipped
and loaded in due form. | was attired in a
coarse, warm suit of dark wooden stuff, with |
knapsack full of minor necessities, in the way
socks, wells, spectaccs "a protection against
the glare of the sun on the ice and little bars |
Of chocolate. A mule, elab0rately caparison-
ed by my fayOrite guide, stood at the door, on
which | was to ride as far as the PeerinS. A |
hasty breakfast in the sale mdBger a stupen- |
dOuS shaking of hands, few glanceS of bright |
eyes from the lattices overlooking the court |
yard, the hustle and confusion among the pOr- |
terS, the division of the knapsackS and lanterns !
with three loud cheers from the assembled |
lockers On-these matters settled and enacted, |
off | went on my mule, with the guides lead |
ing the way, and the porters and lot of their
rabble compatriOts bringing up the rear in "a
very picturesque manner.
For two hours We toed through a cOpse of
pine and shrubs up a rugged path, avoiding
the ravine and torrent on the left, and occa-
SOnally having glimpses Of the ice-turret of the
Glacier DIES Blossoms on the right, as the path
assumed a haSty elevation in its course. | was
the only one of the party mounted, but my
animal, in It's steep, zg-zag progress, threw me
into so many painful attitudes, that | was trn-
ly delighted when got to my feet at the Cha
let de la Para, on the arid hillside
The Chalet was quite deserted, and looked
very bleak and crazy, but the guides insisted
on refreshing here, and produced their TASKS
of Cognac and vim ordinaire, throwing down
the knapSacks and stats. .# ra
On quitting the Chalet, after partaking of
the refreshments, the ground grew at every
step more desclate and arid, and, with the eX-
ception of a clamp Of rhOdodenrons here and
there, struggling with the sharp air for exs-
tcnce, there was nothing to be seen but frag-
ments of rock, and the coarse stones left in the
descent of ayalanches We found the famous
Pierre Pontue nothing more than great mass
of granite Here l consulted my thermome-
ter, and it stood at thirty-three degrees-inst
above the freezing point-but, the eXertion
being excessive, we did not observe the change
of temperature We were now traversing the
hinge buttress Of the Aiguille du Midi, which .
was somewhat dangerous, great rocks rearing +
their broad fronts on the left, and the right
looking over the precpce down to the moroine
of the vast glacier The view that here pre-
sented itself was very impressive but as the
1reciwee is steep, and the route narrow and
uncertain, found it better to keep my eyes
ahead, aud not permit them to wander over the
,.r..,- Of hn 4 false cfaY,