The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-11-19

also. Chamony is bounded on tn,
, south by Mount Blanc chain with it
huge Ice catalacts, the glacier d,
Tour, d'Argentines, des Bols (Mer d,
Glace) and des Blossoms, on the north
west by the Acquilles Rouges and til,
Brevent. A Benedictine priory first
bought the valley into cultivation Al
the beginning of the twelfth century
but the reputation of the inhabitant,
was SO bad at that period that trav
, elers came around and spent the night
In tents strictly guarded rather than
: venture in any Of the houses. The
sobriquet of Les .Montagues Mandites
acted as ban upon the district. On
one occasion st. Francis de Sales,
Bishop Of Genoa, (l6O2 to 1912 visited
the then painless wilds on foot,
which was considered an act of
the utmost temerity. The valley
became better known in 1893, when
the celebrated traveller Pecocke and a
Mr.. Windam explored it in all direc-
tions, and published their observations
In the Increase de Swisse. An impulse
was thus given to the curiosity and
enterprise Of the public which were
further stimulated by the publication
of the Genevese naturllist de Saussure,
du Luc, Bourit, Pecte and others.
Since that time Chamouny, like the
Bernese oberland, has become a great
central point of attraction for travel
ers, especially English, American and
French, and is visited by upwards of
fifteen thousand annually. It's supe-
rior to the Bernese Oberland In pic
turesqueness of scenery but not supe-
rior in the grandure Of its glacier in
which respect 1t has no rival but Ter
mott. Just rs we were finishing our
breakfast the first morning at Cham
ouny Sunday morning), cannon
fired. II was o'clock. We had slept
latter than usual II nearly always rise
at y. They have reached the sum-
nit. They started 1.-TWO men and two
guides) yesterday morning early spent
the night at the halfway house,
started early at in the morning aud
have reached the summit. At we
went out. Mount Blanc lowered to
the sky--perfectly white in his mantle
of snow. Its summit was visible
u.s. ,73l feet); above us rose this mon-
arch OF European mountains. We
could zee no party on top. We could
see no halfway house on the side
though the sun shone bright. Ut |
takes the sun til o'clock to throw its
rays on Chamouny. They have three
telescopes at Chamouny each eight
feet long, charge for view half franc.
The man fixed his telescope and
showed us the four men on the sum-
init. Ina few moments they began
to descend, an equal distance apart,
rope tied from one to the other, guide
In front, tourists in center, and guide
in rear. The telescope man lowered
his instrument and showed us the two
houses where they spent the night,
(10,0O7 ft.) 1t takes two days to ascend
Mount Blanc, and costs forty or fifty
dollars for each person.
We went on to church - English
service. On returning from church
the man invited us to take another
look at the tourists descendlng-two
hours had elapsed. The party were a
good way down; we saw their path In
the snow, which was waist deep.
After lunch I walked down the Cha
monny valley mile and half south
ward and ascended to the glacier des
BLOSSOMS. II Is on the side of Mount
Blanc. The wind blew cold up there.
l went to the cavern house In the
glacier. 1t is eighty-five yards long,
very interesting cracks In the glacier,
sea green color. Therein little house
up there on one side, carved souvi-
niers, wine and milk for sale. Ibought
my wife moss agate cross to LET her
know where / had been. At eight
o'clock the cannon fired, announcing
the safe descent Of the Mount Blanc
party. On Monday after lunch at
two o'clock, took the bride path
from Chamony which led to the left ,
by the Hotel Royal northward, passed
the small English church, crossed the
to the half mile houses Of les ,
Monilles. ascended on foot through
pine woods on up to cedars and on ,
over rocks, following the mule path. I, /,
After an hour aud half the small
shrubs which alone grew high on the
partook OF a bright red and ,
\ yellow color. After two hours I ,
reached the Hotel du Montanrest, q /,
arge new house for the entertainment ,
,f tourists. From this hotel over ,
looked the glacier Mer de Glace and I
he mountains enclosing IL. Oppo-
lite rises the huge Aiquilla du Dru
12,5l7,) ascended by Messrs. Dent '
Ind Harry in September 1873, To the r
eft Of 1t are the snow clad Aiquilla I
verte (ls. .54o) and the lower AiquIlla q
iu Bochard ts,7e6). To the right the I
AiquiIla du Moine Q1.5l4,) further .
llstant are the Grasdes Iorasscs, u.s. .
Oo.) The Mount Mallet lls, ,0ss) and
he Aiquilla du Grant (ls,l57,) and U
immediately behind me tower the '
Aiqnilles de Charmos "a, 80 and de =
3iaitene On ,5s6.l This place is called .
te,s0s) ascent generally u
n two hours and half. Imade Il In {
wo hours. This is visited for The
axe Of the view it affords which alls 9
he highest eorges Of the chain Of !
fount Blanc, In three branches. '
Glacier du Giant or du Tacai, Glacier o
b Lischuy and glscisr De Talefrs,l ID
nd vbIch ds~cends IN The valley q 4
hamony IN Ne furm y hugs
lrsan q 10 abouf tvelvs mile lonG Il
nd one 70 thrp> miles wils- The - &
'er pnrt q t1n s<>1n = oaIIed ths {