Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-25
Tho Accent Of Mont Blhuc.

Horace Benedict de Saussure has connected
his name for all time with that of Mont
Blanc, because he was the first scientific man
who penetrated its mysteries. But he was
not The first who ascended it this was
peasant from the Vale of Ohamouni of the
name of Balmat. He it was who discovered
the path TO the summit; but not possessing
scientific culture be could not make scienti-
fic observations. Without Balmat, however,
perhaps De Saussure might not have been
able TO reach the summit of Mont Blanc.
From childhood, De Ssussure had sim
eulary deep love TOR noun tains, and for
Vapderipgs among them. He bad spent
several years in ascending, for the purpose
of scientific examinations, the great number
OF the most considerable mountain chains of
Europe. But Mont Blanc still stood valing
itself and its Alpine chain in mystery, in
defiance of the young mountain explorers
ongiDgs and endeavors.
ut had become with me-" he writes, "a
kind of disease. My eyes never beheld this
mountain, which eau be eco from so many
places in our district, without my expert
encing painful feeling"
At length. after twenty-seven years of
longing and fruitless endeavor, Saussure
succeeded, in August, 1871, in achieving the
lorged- for ascent, aud from the summit was
able 10 survey the Alpine chain in all direc-
tions.
"1he arrival on the summit" he writes,
"did not give me, Immediately, all the pleas
ure which might have been expected-be-
cause the length of the struggle, and the
sense of the trouble which it had cost me to
reach it, seemed, as it were, to have irritated
me- And it was with kind OF wrath, that
/ jrampled the snow upon its highest point.
Besides, feared not being able to make the
observations which desired, so greatly was
troubled by the rarity of the atmosphere,
and the d fficulty found in breathing and
in woIking at this hight. We all suffered
from fever"
Every thing however, succeeded to Saus-
sure, beyond his expectations, he saw every
thing, aud was able to make all the observa.
tons which he had so long and so ardently
desired TO do.
81 scarcely believed my own eyes," he
says; | seemed to myself to be dreaming,
when | saw beneath my feet the terrific, ma
jestic peaks, the acute SUBMITS of Midi, Ar
gentieIe and LIE Geant, the very bases OF
which it had been 10 me so difficult and haz-
ardous to climb. understood their connec-
ton and their form, and at one single glance
was able to clear up the uncertainty which
years of labor alone could not have done.p
Among the lesser observations which De
SausspIe made on the ascent, the following
have interested me, says Miss Bremen: GIVE
saw, says she, near the summit only two
butterflies; the Que was little gray night.
butterfly (phaline), which flew across the
first snow; the second, q day -buttert1 Y,
which appeared to me to be le myriL The
flower, belonging to the perfect Gloss, which
found at the greatest altitude, was siLeRC
dcGuiis Small moses we're, however, grow
ing upon The very highest rocks"
SaUssuTe, when in shadow, saw from the
summit OF Mont Blanc, the stars in the light
of dsy; and the color OF the sky was almost
| black. at'
He wss able only to remain four hours and
n half on the summit of the mountain, when
he was obliged to return. But in the still
ness of the night, when he recalled all tn at
he had actually seen, and felt the grand pic.
turc of the mountains clearly imorinted upon
his brain, then he experienced an unmingled
satisfaction. Aud well, indeed, might he
lie bad accomplished a great Undertaking
for science. Even science has its heroes and
noble martyrs.
But how any. body can desire-for no othel
purpose than TO be able to say, 81 have donC
it'-but enough on this subject.