, 1869-08-24
AN AMERICAN ABROAD.

4
The Very High Alps-vlewy Mt q Das-
tnnca-pcdeatrtRn ExcuIr1ona'-a I'm
/ tho VAIe OF Observation-Disclosures
| Mont Blnnc-lovv II II Done, and
| What II Yie1ds-A Journey. Among
/ the Eternal Snosy4-Whnx ono Secs
at tho. Summit OF the mounrch OF
Monntnius.
NUMBER XVI.
fFHox OUR sPEcIAL CORRESPONDENT
C1iAAnxH, gayore, Jnly 19r1 16Ga.- :
| You rarely enter sny town I'd Savoy Or 6Wltzer'
I land where sou are not told you can have sp1en-
did Views Of the Alps, and Of this and that patto-
ular mountain, from height ortowef, tt the wealth
|. er be clear. 49,
The LIST phrase .s very discreet, though eat1eme-
Ely disappointing. Most tourists suppose 1t means
when there are no clouds Of mista; bpt 1t means
when the atmosphere Is In peculiarly tranafncaht
state, which 4 seldom Il, In mountainous Districts,
more than once or twice g month.
There Is no satisfaction In looking at peaks
miles and miles away You have to depend on
your Imagination for their outlines, and create
them more pr IeRB cut Of the clouds that envelope
them. ThaEis D good exercise for the develop
ment Of the poetic faculty: but rather unsubstnn-
| tiaI as pleasure to one who has crossed the
ocean to see With his outward nssead Of his inner
eye.
Naturally, every tourist desires to nsye view
| Of Mont Blanc, the Agamemnon OF the Alps,
1
They often seek to CRAFTY their curiosity from
Milan, MarttgnJ, Geneva, and every other place
/ within q radius Of hundred miIes; but they
| rarely succeed unless they make Journey into
| the celebrated Vale Of the Chamonix, wbose
scenery has no equal In grandeur either in Savoy
| or 6witZcfIand.
The Mont Blanc chain might not be Thought
much Of IN our country-the loftiest peak Is less
! than fifteen thousand feet-but on the Continent
| they hold 1t In the highest regard.
TIE VALE OF cuAMoS1y
| lies immediately below the chain md seems
| wholly shut In by the mountains aud the sky.
Mont, Blanc and, ali bis companions rcas their
hoary heads over the insignificant hAm,es-rhe
whole population consists Of hotel attaches guides
and mule drtVers-dwarflng 1t still more and
making 1t appear like avillage Of toys
Many persons drive here from Qenevn, and after
looking at the splendid scenery return the follow
Ing day. Others, more Curious or AMBITIOUS,
ascend MontaVert With the aid Of q mule. ouys
their beast, go down to the Mer de Glace, cross It.
noe agatn TO the Chapeau, and aftcrward climb
the Flegere, which can be accomplished In twelve
hours. Some content themselves With going to
me Hotel des PYRAMIDS, at Aoutayert, and entoy.
ing the splendid panorama from that point
probably the finest this side Of the Atlantic There
Son see Ill the grand mountatns Ia thelr uatlye
suetmttT-Blanc, the Dome and Agul1les du
Gonte, the Atgu1lles du Midi yerte, dArgent1ere,
zes Jofassea, and all the aky.percing fraternity
costumed In auow, glaciers and icy seas
THE TRAINING.
das1ng plenty Of time, ana little money. I
wanted 70 DO something more than COMMON I
uke climbing. an well constructed for II hav
ing no suDer1uoua flesh, and having acquired a
certain agility and endurance IN early youth BIZ
tsylog TO collect numerous accounts left me IN
trust by good fellow who had been called away
by Important business Ii the othtr world.
I hare vast faith IN my capacity for
upward movements; but still I had heard 20
much Of the danger and difficulty Of ascending
Mont Blanc that thought would prepare myaeI
BY Introductory excursions.
discarded mules and guides where could: did
Ao1tareEt before breakfast; crossed the GlacIe,s
de B3ssons; mounted the Flegere; explored the
eource Of ATeuon as an appetizer for dinner; and.
pnall5, vent on loot from the hotel TO the Jardin
and returned BY Les Tines IN about ten hours.
The guide who conducted ne on the last expe-
dltion vas warm In hts encomiums upon my ne
dest1an powetg, which should have regarded
merely as the insurer OF large trinkgeld had
not noticed that he Waa more disposed than to
halt On the mountain march.
CHALLENGE AND ACCEPTANCE
Under the circumstances, felt confident could
accomplish something worth visiting Chamonlx
1or. Every hour hare passed in the ynle Mont
Blanc has de1ed me, IS II to say, "Come I'D here
II you dare! Why think you have endurance md
content yourself With scaling the lesser Bteeps.
am monarch. II you we're bonn to command as
you fancy. no doubt, take your place by my sde.n
soon began TO Imagine the peak was chalieng-
ing me. became possessed with the idea Of do |
ing "nat tne Old fellow so vexatiously invited me
to DO. talked to my guide-a trusty and expert |
enced person-who said the accent could be made
very easily In two days, though three Eas the
usual time, and at an expense for himself Qud two
poftefB TO carry ladders, hooks, cords and pro-