The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-07
A Night on the Matterhorn.
PEBnoUs EXPLOIT OF AN BSaLIsH TOUR

PERILoUs EXPLOIT OF AN BNaLIsH TOURIST.
An Englshman who aScended the Natterhorn
early IN August, gives the following account of
his adventure:-
"lt was very hot work at trst but as we got
up the air became colder When we reached
the loot OF the great rocky peak, OF which the
whole mountain TOP consists, the prospect looked
rather awlul-and fully explained wny It was so
long the belief that the mountain was inaccessi-
BILE from this side. At hall-past three we passed
the place where the party had spent the night
before the Ia al ascent, and the guide showed us
the name douglas scratched on the rock by the
i'll fatCd scion of The honse OF Queensberry
Soon aiterw ards the climb up the steep rocky
side began; and, awful rs 1t looked from below
when you came to try 1t you found that it was
nothing very much out of the way Though
very steep, still the rock was of the nature of a
staircase, aaording numerous ledges on which
to place the feet and hands. We went straight
up, partly guided by the blades of straw which
had been dropped by the people who made the
hut and took the straw up to make the beds.
"About o'clock we knew that we must be
near the hut, but as yet it was invisible Just
at this time the old guide came TO a standstil.
He had never seen the hut, though he knew the
way TO II. The rock IN front was too steep for
him to climb; but alter some time he espied
place just at onr left hand, the possibility of
scaling which certainly never would have oc-
CURED to me, and, scrambltng up, he disap.
peared round the corner from our wondering
eyes. Another moment and we heard him
shout that he was at the cabin. He then let
down the rope and drew up first the frewood,
and then my companion. We we're not up too
soon, fer it was past seven; and the first
thing, after inspecting our quarters, was to
watch the beautiful sunset, which was without
a cloud, on the yasts snowy scene around and
beneath Monte Rosa eminently justified its
name by the warm, bright color which lit it up
to the last. We could see into Italy as far as q
fine group OF mountains, some distance off but
the nearer mountains prevented very extended
view into the plain. The shadows no wever,
fell rapidly. aud we set to collecting snow to
N lpl tn nuprt 10 fro pttyni inn 10
outside the door of the hut in snug corner of
the little ledge on which ii stands. We had
excellent tea, and then muled wine, with bread
and butter, eggs, beef, milk, sugar, etc. The
scene all around was very impressive. Above
lowered the fearful peak seeming very near; at
our feet descended the rocky slope we had sur
mounted. The face of the mountain excepting
where we had come up, is Gaked day and night
by falling stol es; and 1t was very grand, as dark
ness can on, 10 hear stone begin to roll from
high up near the top, and then, as it descended,
disIodgng others, till an avalanche of stones
went rushing down with the roar of railway
train, revealing Its course by striking fire against
the rocks.
cat 8 o'clock, the preconcerted time. we lit n
second ire on a spot visible from Zermatt; and
our signal was answered by another fire at the
hotel down in the valley, aud by third at the
Ritlel Hoel-thus making kind of triangular
beacon. just at this moment, we observed what
we thought must be fourth fire kindled high
up Oh the snow ridge dividing Switzerland from
Italy, 1t grew brighter and larger, and we
GoW IL was 'hC mum llSlnS. LII IL SOb nlgn, ltS
face was just the color of flame. We made our
selves pretty comfortable for the night IN the
straw. But ! can't say our sleep was
very sound; and when we bestirred ourselves,
between four and FIVE, we felt rather cold and
watched till the fire was lit, and some warm
good tea had cheered us-to say nothing of the
sun, whose first rays broke most beautifully over
the rim of snow, till above our heads the peak
of MatteThorn gloWed with fire. At seven we
started to go down, aud having got over the first
nasty bit by the aid of lopes, We went on to the
main r1dge which descends from near the TOP
towards Zermatt, and sat down for some time to
admire the splendid view. Every peak was
brilliant in the morning air, while below the
valleys wcle sometimes filled with particolored
clouds, which seemed to lie asleep in their
marrow beGs. The guide said that he had never
seen a more beautiful view. Throughout ALL
however, QUE could not shake off the recollec,
ton of the terrible accident of 1865; for there
pce which must have killed the hapless climb
long before they could reach the bottom. And
there, on the snow, was the very spot where the
bodies came TO rest; and at our side was the man
who had felt and withstood the fatal shock, and
by his resistance to the strain had narrowly
escaped with his own life.
1--WE we're obliged to come down slowly and
carefully. Though there was no place actually
dangerous, still the old guide never for mo-
ment relaxed his caution, and the rope was in
as constant use coming down as it had been in
going up the rocky steep. AT eleven we had
cleared the part OF the mountain requiring eau
ton, and once more looking back with awe at
the marvellous rock, we pursued the descent to
Zermatt."