New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-08


dicatcd onr approach upftcd land. The bright
was quickly lett behind, aud soon afterward we were
toiling laboriousy upward among the rocks Inc val
Tournanche is bounded on the right by chain OF noun
tains the higher end Of which abrCd, In former agc9
both, and n saddle stretches from the one to the
other From this saddle n kind 81 cnuluir runs uoWh
ward WIDENING OUT sIyd9ay at ~ ,c rort 70 the left
of this coulor until reached the base OF peePre
which fell sheer from the egmms aDoHs' " aua 80 IN
from the upper lodges aud the descent Oh stoe ~ M
tervas admonishcd us that gravity bad nero NOR, serious
missiles at command than the drppnsI VI ,nc ~
snow. So we moved WIN liuu'h, HP,,td I t h",
of the precpico, crossing ut one place thc Wleo
Mr.; whympcr nearly LOST nls c,yos ne non ibc
saddle which stretches with The cufSdiaie oi cndn
to the base of the true MaIterfo n en- r"" ~
out Of the western mountains IRON tilS POM %,
view il grand and impressive and with our EYES ail1
hearts full of the scene we moved aiong lo s ~ i
rest upon the first steep e"ss Vi inc i'
Monarch OF the Alps. -
Hero We paused unlocked Our scp 10 a d%o s c
above Ms ignorant OF the treatment tlt We "'Ie 10 "a
cciye at their hands We had gathered up our il"II, "
bent TO the work before W., wncn suddenly an
explosion occurred overhead we ooh.u a,o,t
and saw in mid-air solid shot from the Mat
nay spisr into FRAGMENTS as 1t sote one of the
rocky towers in front Of Down inc S,atttISd iag
ments came like kind Of spray sghty wine Oh w., "s
still enough to compel sharp LOCKOUT. Two Gi
three such explosions occurred but We chose me Da.
fiji OF the mountain iGi our iHek, anu o tni ~, Up s
ing stones were speedily detected right or eIt bcvit
the set of sun We reached our Place OF iuy
tent already there, and We had brought WIN W. an
additional light one intended TO aH1Id ACCOMMODATION
TO me. II pitched In the shadow OF great iooh'
which seemed to oiCr safe barrier against thc ,ahoh
AIDE from the hghts. Carrc, the soldier, punt Platform
on which placed the tent for the mountain lsei iui
nished no level space OF sufficient area.
Meanwhile. fog, that enemy Of the climber, came creep
ing up the valleys, while dense hounees OF cloud
round the hills. As night drew near, inc iog tnh ,u
through series of interntcnoes Wihch - uo"hIi !
land alone show. Sudden uprsingS oil ar %Gi,,1
often carry the clouds aloit IN vertical currents MI
horizontal gusts swept them wildly to and fro. Diner
ent currents impingng upon e3eh otnTf fCS y
tortured in its search Of equilibrium. sometime
all sight of the lower world was cut away-thn ae 10
Breuii smiling FAR beneath. sudden realt upon lhe
nights, succeeded by the sound OF tnmnlnG roeEt IN
nouuced, from time to time the dsiht RIaiun VI c
Mattcrhorn We were quite swathcd In Fog When we re-
tired to rest, and had scarcely hope thaT Ine ~
would he able TO dspcl the Rionin ln1usmour wy
night the rocks TOaTcd inermlttently as thcy sW,t
down the adjacent couor opened ny e5rS t 81 ",,,,
tent, star. rose and found me heavens s"etI
clear of clouds while above me inc s9elhn
of the Matterhorn were projected against the o"eAeh
sky. ,-,.. g.. ,,,roo
At . a. IN. we astr. CaTrcl made the fire. boiled
the water and prepared coffee, II was H. ~ neioie
we fairly started We adhered - long a. poDe 10
the hacked and WcatherwOrn spine OF tbe uOIH i
until at lenghh its dsntcEraiioh peche 700 ld''i
alterations Of sun and frost nave Iiado "ohI.V
ON the southern face of the Matterhon Tut they nave
left brown-red masses OF the mo'I Hno.inE i"a %
belnd-pillaTs, and towers, ana slnhttied o"eliNa,
grand in thur hOarness-sayagc, but SIN sotehed ~
but masonry will doubtless bear inc shocs oi
another aeon. We were compelled To gut me li15e,
which now swept round ard fronted us Ike wall lhs
weather had cleft the rock clean away, leaving SMoo y
time fight must be severe. We examined thG pr, =
picc aud exchanged opinions. Bennen sw'lyed To the
right and to the lett to render M. h-ptftoh com
plcte. There 10 choice; over Tins wan we iNut
roped ourselves together. and were soon upon the
face Of the precpicc. walters was Lrrt, auo tnlrh
second 1on eNrnggf s' 5no o aped his 6a
shod boots against the cliff thus hitting himself ~ lart
by friction. Benncn close behind, aiding him WIN
an arm, a knee or shoulder. once upOna ledge Nc was
able to give Bcnncn hand Thu, we advanced, STRAIN
that OF desperation with heads perfectly cool We
pcrchcd upon the lodges In sucrtssiQn-c"c ~ -" ~
aitCrwaTds A last strong effort throw the body 81
Walters across the top of tie wall and DC DeNs sli'
orr success thus far insured. go
This ascent landed rs once more upon me rage h c
footing on the tdsed sTna OF ne Ehea,,
from Breul-tbe peak, however heuF the emu u u =
nearly horizontal ridge IRON t Ht 6 og
Enrnp wei remarked To Bcnncn shall "a, Al
. ~" 49,, lower summit "Tlgt will no. satisfy
us" was his reply. knew h would answer thus 10
IT, had burst from the party VIXEN the true summit
came in view. We felt perfectly certain o success hot
hour erica Bcnncn the people at zenat shall. see our
flag planted yonder" Up we Went IN IN. sIil, WIN
forestallcd triumph making our ascent aIuA.et' we
reached the first summit, and planted nag MiGn ~,
competent guide but without the genius "Sh 70 ~, ~
by difficulty, had previously II Inarhe Wl'n
The last precpee Of the mqnn'a had , i broo led
in other minds; still il angered me sSht!3 10 near HIS
piV audible
From the point on which We planted first flagstaff
a hacked and extremely acute ridge ran, and aoutiod
aE Smiy While Sf he fpce 81 The recP came clearer nd
clearer into view. The ridge on WInch We stooh ran
right against it; it the only means 81 approach
while ghastly abysses fell either SIDE we "a uo"h
and inspected the piece; no glass was GcgHe', Il va" 80
Three out OF the four men mueI'd alhoS, shu1'
neouslv II is impossible" Bcnncn was tie Only man ol
the who did not utter the word jagged ttItic
of the ridge stil separated us from he pItcir'c
pointed TO spot at distance from the place where
we sat- and asked the three dOuutors whether tt o'Ht
So was the reply "Thcn let us 20 there We reached
place, and sat down there The men again muiteyd
deSparingly, and at length they said distinctly, we
must give il Ip" by wished 10 put on pres
sure but directing their attention TO point at the base
reach that point without much FISK Inc lepii was
ayes" "Ihen" said "iet us 20 thee we
which sepased it from tie fnal Precri.e., SO
savage a spot | had never seen, and l rat down
upon with the sickness OF disappointed hope. The
summit within almost stones throw o U.s. ana he
Thought OF retreat bitter IA the extreme. B'nnen
excitcdy pointed out track which hc thought pacuci-
bic lie spoke OF danger, OF diicGliy never o. hrosI
bty; but this was the ground taken ny tHe obcf 'ee
A. on other occasions, my guide sought TO fix On
result. "Wherc you 20 | Will follow I've II up or
down" II took him half an hour to make up hs
mind. But he was finally forced 10 accept defeat.
What could ne doi The other men had yielded utterly,
aud our occupation was ci'aLEE4ne hH5 hlhs Hhtt1
IL on the spot where We stopped II was hinIy hAed
and protected as I Is from Ilshmng ny 'f adjacent
ii think more Of the MattoThOru.
The usual crowd OF travellers in Switzerland viii
of course undertake no such adventurous feats but
the localities visited by Professor Tyndal III the
vicinity of the familiar scenes in the route OF the
Alpine tourist and they will derive fresh interest
from the pcrusal of his admirable descriptions.
chapter in the morning before starting on the eXCur
eions of the day will form an excellent acCompani-
ment to the bread and honey OF a Swiss breakfast,
and tone the mind for Tie proper reception OF Alpine
wonders.