The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-10-02
FATAL AMUSEMENT.
The Deaths Placed to the Credit
of Alpine Climbing.
Mont Blanc the Most Dangerous of the
Peaks-AccidentsC Chiefly Occur from
the Incompetency of Guides-A
Reform Needed.

In these days, when 1t is the fashion to
decry Mont Blanc, in company with good
many other old institutions, there is one
thing about the mountain which is apt to
be lost sight of, and that is how very fatal
it has been to mountainous. 1t is quite
possible that the proportion of killed to
those who succeed in the aScent-and the
same will hold good in respect of any other
Alpine peak-would not be found to be
great, for probably more people have gone
up Mont Blanc than any other high noun
TAIN but no number of successful ascents
will minimize the fact that there can be
very real danger on Mont Blanc. The
causes of danger are not far to seek. The
mountain is regarded, and in fact is, com
paratively easy of ascent; and from the
days when Albert Smith did so much to
dispel the awe with which it was once the
fashion to regard it, the popularity of the
expedition has grown year by year, till
quite a considerable percentage of those
who now go to Chamouni consider but the
half of their visit accomplished if they
fail TO do" Mont Blanc Thus it comes to
pass that great number of individuals
are allowed to ascend who ought not to go
on the mountain at all, and who, under
certain conditions, may easily become
source of danger to themselves and to
those who accompany them.
But the danger from this cause is as moth
ing compared with that which exists in the
inferior quality of many of the guides.
AT Chamouni, every one who styles him
self a guide must belong to a kind of
trades-union society called the Conipag,,ie
DIES Guides, and presided over by Guide-chef.
All who enter the Compagnie des Guides,
good, bad and Indifferent, enter it ON the
same footing, and are compelled to take
their turn for an engagement on register
kept at the office of the GutdG-chef for the
purpose. THUS, traveller who wishes
to engage guide, is not allowed
except under very special circum-
stances-to choose his man, but must
take him whose name stands first
on the list; and it may so hap
pen that quite an incompetent individ-
ual is given charge of party wishing to
ascend Mont Blanc, while really good
guide is told off to carry knapsack over
the Col de Blaine.
1t Is easy to imagine what may result
from u system such as this. For one thing,
it has had the effect of utterly demoraliz-
ing Chamouni guides as body; and it has
been the means, as we shall see presently
of some of the worst accidents that have
ever happened in the Alps. 1t is usual
nowadays for members of Alpine Clubs to
bring to Chamouni their own guides from
other districts rather than trust to the To-
cal mon; and so it has come about that
Chamouni guides have been reduced to
taking casual parties up Mont Blanc, with
the result that very few of them are of
any use out of their own particu-
lar district, and as regards tho
more difficult peaks Of the range, very lit
tie even in it. In fact, it is hardly an ex-
aggeraiion to say that the really good Cha
mount men may now be counted on the
fingers The grave scandal occasioned by
the desertion of the Russian, Professor
Fedchenko, by his guides-two inexperi-
enced boys--ond his subsequent death on
the Merde Glace. called forth n severe pro-
tsst against the Chamouni guide system on