, 1876-03-02

A Winter Ascent of Mont Rlnnc.
The Paris Ucbats publishes from 4 correspond
ent verY interesting account Of an Asceusaon
OF Mont DiAuo made on tho 10th OF January
last by Mr. James Ecolee, an English geologist.
and u. Gabriel Loppc. French painter. VIM
ter visits to tho SNOWY muuaTcl are not Of very
cou,mon occurrences, and Alpine tourists will per-
haph he surprised 70 learn that his hoary majesty
IL far moro agreeable and worth seeing iu winter
than III summer. We appeud tho most bal!ent
features OF the 6ecunt:
NM. Eccles md LoHpo loft 0han1ounix on
tho evening of tle 19th Alt. ChaluounIx Ii very
pioAsant and inlabitabo III tho wintcr. While
tho papers were announcing bittor cold and suow
from tbh south OF Ftance, tue Thermometer at
Chamoultix was warming itself qulesIy In tho
tun aud rising to - degrees abuve zero. At $50
o'clock Oh tho MOI ning Of the THO 2Qth the tao
cloud mas to ba seen in tho sky. The g.chs
tlopcs that lead up to tic Aigutle du Midi, which
III summer Rre stte1u with rlUdUlcndrons wero
catpetea with frosl, soit covering Of suow. iu
ure The two Mbluo explorers. accompanied by
tso guides mud two pottorB, ascendod gaity AZ
ihr % tAo upper pntt at the Glacier
des tossons. wheto they arrived st 4:a5
O'Clock, aud "hero thcy Eeposea themselves for
short time to admire tho lucst eight that Wiu-
ter ovor offered to tue eye. Yho SKY WAS clear,
without tie slightest speck, and thn mist hov-
cred over Lako Leman. nut the tourists were
hcfora than in ortnr 10 accomplish the mont dif~
iculL pa1t OF tho accent before nighlfall They
had to taaYo tho Junction Of tho glaciers of Bos-
aons aud Taconnay, and climb up to tho 0ranLs-
often frlGhton nnprcuticos. Some Of tho
crevIcca arc 30 wiuo that ladder hna to be
used to crosa them. whlo others gro hidden
by accumulations OF snow, which suddenly
great. but tho dangor Is snn1l ns tho
climbers. who ascent QUO by ono, arc at-
!ached to QUO another With ropos. lie who
fal!a into = creyica il At ouco drAwu out by
dlllIculsies AL accumulation of freah, ilno snow
aud that mud peculiar to nintor, into which you
sink knec dcep. and tho rcadot will easily un-
dets1n1d why our travelets did not reaol. The pa
tation tnat exists in Europe before ESQ O'clock
ill sho oycnlus. This pavilion, especially III
wiuter, tB dolcious retreat, II contains three
littlo Eoo1ss, provided with mattresses aud rugs,
tic beat Of hotel beds, Moreover, j. possesses
cuisine whuso advantagos it would bo difficult
to appreciate too much after soyeu houra 1sce,,-
slon.. The Htippor was perfect. aud tho seposa
excellent. !, The temperature VS. e.tt.ord!,
had frozen at Lsghouat, Which il $50
k.Iometres south OF Aisierv. AT tho
brands. An!ete. ~ Tho opon air, 900 inetseh
above thu lesel Of tho seat nona Of ths three
d:irrc1 eont'grado, which ls about a IS de-
rises {ah,cnholt, Tho little Alpine party to-
s.:!lHl .hoir ascent At o'clock OH tho following
hsoIHiag. each man boasiug . lAntoril. Tho cold
waa 30 littlo iutensa that the guides took on
their thick G!oyos 10 huld tha!r pioL1s OF leo
choppers. At oeloct, At the corner Of the
Donna. the glass did pot mark mora than do
g1ccs cent1Htade, while It tho sama hour. At the
bottom OF Ilo Vatloy OF ChAnollaix, tho tLer-
momator Of tho Hotel Gouttat fell to II degrees
centterado, which proves that it IL warmer I'D
than down tue Alpa-a tact hitherto unknown.
At . o'clock the painter aud the EeoloetAt wero
TO club tho anal summit Of Mount D,Auo,
4 comparatively eaAy aAceusion, which 81.
Lopre hhd otteu mhda Ia tHo hours aud half.
A lIttlo moro courage, And tho intrepid tour
iats would 10 tho first meh that ever sat In
full winter on the apex OF Mout Dlanc which
dominates all Europe. But tho eaat wind had
Louu blowing for several hours, and II grew
mist, aud finally II whirled the Huow Gpout In
dense Hhlrlwina columns. Thoy who hasa negcr
aacsndcd tho higher summlts know nut what IL
tho wind. Ihore ara travellers Who cumpla!u OF
tho tise OF Ueneya aud tAs nlistrat of Ayisnon.
hut they aro bybarllos; they should sos aud
fnol what The Hlud is On tho snoAy heights
OF tho Alra. 6ix yosts ago, ani III tito summer.
riuil!Ar wind Oh the a.e1 Of Muus Dauc, sMl AL
their hoIiea layo not yet hean recovered. Nhen
lie snowy Wh.lwiud reAsel \ Little. tha Tourists
aeTo Kblo to zoe that tho other Huu,mIta wore
perfectly cl0ar aud sunuy. hut for this wind
lilo Temperature would have bsen bcaEable; tue
glAsa foil only to IL ds1Eses esutlstads. on tAe
sAus p!atoau III summer tbs thcrMoulstes oftsn
fa!!s much lougef. Picture thoso hlx Men l4 tue
midst Of such whirlnlud, at 1. 100 metres abovo
the lavel Ok ths sea. u the lepth OF winter,
liable 70 bo blown awA1 At every moiueut and
buried forever ln The secrgt depths Of the auowy