The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-08-18

one instance T remember tho yawning
chlsm Yves spannol by natural bridge
Of ice, poihap. three feet deep and two
vile, aUl OF uneven surface, to cross
which the bol1est hearted were glad to avail
themselves Of the steady hand Of the
guide. Sometimes we were obliged to as
cend hillocks of ice twenty or thirty feet
high, but the hatohet Of tue guide soon
made steps for our hcsitatiog feet; o,ca-
sionally, however, the side Of the hilock
was covered with stones and gravel,
brought down from the mountain BY the
avalaurhes, end which the rays Of the sun
had made all 100 yielding for irm footing.
After an hour Of alternate wonder and
apprehension, TIC reached the opposite
shore, where the view Of this mountain
mass Of ice and snow was most grand and
imposing.
Now we begin the descent on foot from
the northern shore. Our way leads over
beds Of gravel, fallen avalanches Of rock,
roaring cataracts and shelving precipices,
where no mule could pass--the human
foot alone could be trusted. At length
We came to an almost perpendicular preci-
pice, which at first seemed impossible, but
the guide pointed us to narrow trail cut
in the side Of the rock, which afforded US
somewhat precarious path, but we had
no choice. Large iron tolts had been driv-
Ell into the drilled rock, to which line
Of ropes was fastened for the traveller to
steady his taltcriug stcps by. Above him
were overlapping cliffs, below him pre-
cpice and chasm. Sometimes, to avoid
projecting rock, il was necessary to de
scend almos: perpendicularly for few
feet, and then by climbing 70 recover our
former elevation. In some places the
rocks were wet and slippery, and again
the ropes had been broken and were use
less. Our guides, understanding the per
lis of the way, wero surprised that some
of our adventurous young ladies would
stoop to pluck flowers from the precipice
at their feet. But We all came through
! in safety, and soon met our mules, happy
to be relieved from our long and tireaome
walk.
But the day was not yet spent, aud an
other expedition was proposed, viz, to as
cend the mountain on the other side of the
valley from which we might have clearer
view Of Mont Blanc and the several gla-
ciera. Only two yomg ladies and myself
volunteered for this enterprise. In two
hours we were at the top of The Fle-
1 gere,' from which we had = magnificent
view OF foUrteco e7,cjere, stretching
down from the mountain heights, and in
four or five instances, projecting quite in
to the valley. Mont Blame, however, was
not to be seen. He had wrapped a wreath
Of clouds around his imperial head, and
concealed himself from mortal view.
After waiting in vain two long hours for
his appearance, We descended to our ho.
tel, as weary and worn as mountain trav.
elera. Early the next morning we set
out for Geneva (whero Mrs. L. had re.
mained) and reached our hotel at six
o'clock, P. NJ, quite willing to rest two
or three days before We resume our trav.
els. We have seen Mont Blanc from
different ponts,and can say with the poet
Mon; Blanc is the monarch of mountains,
They crowned lin long ago.
On throne Of rocks, in "a robe Of clouds,
With q diadem Of snow"
Yours, B.1.