The daily gazette., 1881-07-28
LETTER FROM LONDON.
How we Assembled Mount Blame,

Correspond snes Of the Gazette.
LONDON, July 15, 1881.
On the road from the Tete lNoir to
Chamounix we got the first glimpse Of
Mount Blanc. II was in q depression
between two high mountains about five
miles away. II looked from where we
first saw II like white cloud two-thirds
above the horizon. 1t was mass Of
snow Of virginia. purity, Is though no
living thing had ever been there to mark
1t with Q track or to stain Its perfect
whitcness.
From the point where first seen, 1t was
nearly all the way In sight, but 1t was
not before the valley Of Chamounix was
reached that the vast monarch of conti-
mental mountains revealed itself in its
sublime entirety, surrounded BY count
less, far-reaching pinacles and domes,
that looked like lowered temples, doing
obeisance to the grand white cathedral,
whose dome 10 already In the blue
heaven to which all others point.
had prepared myself to see Mt. Blanc
without emotion. / had read many In
teresting accounts OF 1t, and an active
Imagination had shaped its outlines un-
til 1t seemed an old acquaintance. But
the reality SO far transcended ell concep-
tIons that involuntarily I took of my
hat as though In Divine Presence, and
felt a. though / could fall upon my
knees and worship there the Creator
through this, His wonderful work
We bad just seen the grandest and
most beautiful temples ever conceived
by the mind..of man and builded by tie
most sklllful hands that ever labored !;
churches garnished by the highest art
and all that time and unstinted means
could accomplish. All we're as toys COM
pared with the beauty and grandeur of
this white pile rising fifteen thousand
seven hundred feet in the sky. -
feel unable to describe Mount Blanc
so as 60 convey to you any near Idea of
1t. Adler pens have failed 80 utterly
that will not make the attempt, but
merely tell how we saw 1t In two days
and nights OF sdmirirg contemplation.
No one has attempted to make the ascent
proper this season. Indeed, no one has
ever climbed to the topmost SHOWS of
Mount Blanc, though many write rosy
accounts OF such achievements. We
might say we had made the ascent, and
If ever weary, patient, painful climbing
were 80 rewarded we have surely earned
the reward. Nevertheless we were not
able to reach the summit, though We
strove for it with tenfold the persever-
| ing labor consumed In reaching the fiery
chimney OF Vesuvius. We were near
enough to inspect the SHOWS that have
been gathering there through all the
centuries OF its existence, and the depth
OF which no man knows. There 1t sell
dom II ever rains, and the SHOWS never
melt. Sometimes the sccumHlations roll
down the mountain sides in avalanches
that shake the country around like az
earthquake. All around about the base
of the mountain are ruins that the SHOWS
ever strive 10 repair by fresh accu.
mutations through all the seasons and
through all time. These ruins consist
| OF immense masses of snow and ice
steep sides that everything opposing
their progress 10 overwhelmed or sweep
away.
On two sides are glaciers or ice rivers
that slip down the mountain with SLOW
but steady movements, bearing earth
stones and rocks of hundred and thou
sands tons weight. The movement i
imperceptible to the eye, but it neve
ceases.
Early In the morning our mules anl
guide were at the hotel ready for tn,
start. For the first few miles the roat
10 fair and the ascent easy. After thi
we leave the shady pines and enter tn
region of scrub and snow. The ascen
gradually grows sleeper and the patl
narrower, the turnings shorter and tn
precipices more dangerous. The mule
have a habit Of walking on the YER
verge of the most dangerous and gidd
precipices as though they enjoyed tn
terror of their riders. We do our bes
at guiding and urging them towar
the safe side, but they are as insensi
BILE to our earnest persuasi0ns as th
! rock itself. So near do they tread t
to the edge that sometimes the cart
and stones broak under their feet an
90 tumbling down into the unmeai
ured depths.
The steady nerves enable one to tax
all this quite calmly, and q little pra'
tice will enable you to look down th
disEy depths with unconoern.
A little above the snow line we leay
our mules and proceed on foot. tt
path 10 rough, steep and tortuous an
slippery with the snow which is hel
softened by the sun. Il Itrequires abol
| six hours of mule climbing to reac
this place. Few ladies' proceed b,
yond this point, and most gentlemt
consider they have ssdone the thing
when they reach 1t. Our ladies WEI
content to stop and rest, and afte
ward 90 back at their leisure. Blu
'texcelsior" like, / took guide and pr
ceeded on toward the .'topmo
height"
With our alpenstocks, repes, wool
socks and important bottle of bran
We set out.
For the first hour or SO the climb
not SO very difficult, but the air b
comes more rarified and the BREATH
is harder just when you require t
fullest freedom in that respect I
continual stepping upward strains t
ankles, while the snow causes you
slip backward at every step. Und
these difficulties, progress Is not rap
and WEAKNESS steals from us the prol
enjoyment of the "rare and rad an
visions that the mountain and
"serried hosts" of peaks that sta
around it, here present. Night
coming on apace. Already
.hoIo1ua th;nEan haloxv no avau vU1