Evening star., 1886-09-04
CLINBING MONT BLANC.
The HnndredtA Anniversary Of the
First Successful Ascent

from the London TlmeA
sunday, August 8, was the one hundredth an
niversary Of the first successful ascent Of Mont
Blanc. The district, now 50 famous, was firs,
made known to the world through the cele-
brated Oriental traveller, Pococke, who hap
pened, in 1741, to be In Geneva, and, hearing
OF the terrible grandeur OF the Savoy Alps, sci
out to see for himself He was accompanied by
an adventurous fellow-oountrymen named
Windham. They had guard Of soldiers. There
Were NO roads, and they followed up the course
OF the Arve. A romantic account OF the 'expe-
dition is given in the Mercurs de Suisse for May
and June, 174S, Its perils and adventures are
described, Its great rashness Is descanted upon
But they went little beyond Chamouni, where
tney oivouacked, lighting watch-fires and frinG
on guns during the night to scare possible ma
Mer de alsee SSpPssa but PocoeHss Us kGa6sn G expert
ences were poor preparation for trudging ovel
giacier-and such one-so he turned back
.eiilng the polite society OF Geneva OF the won
oers which were close to their doors, unknown
Blanc" was given to the "monarch of noun
talns, hitherto . nameless unit OF Lies Mon
tagnes Maudits," |" the name by which the group
naturalist, Horace Benedict de saussure, was
nred by the account of Pocockes adventure.
dls lie from boyhood well on TO mature age
High Alps, during which he made nearly 2C
unsuccessful attempts TO scale Mont Blanc. In
AaoO ne Ouere0 considerable sum OF money
as prize for whoever would find y way to the
top; Many, besides himself tried in vain u
scale IT, and among those who tried were some
whose whose names tBaimat, Cochat, Carrier) have
Oscome familiar as names Of experienced and
skllful guides who have won the confidence and
esteem OF Alpine climbers.
accompanied by Dr. Paccard, gained the sum
MT: MT: he went by the Rochers Rouges; the route
hitherto followed led to the Bosses du Droma
oaIe, which had proved utterly insurmount
able. Dr. Paccard nearly lost his life from the
consequences of this terrible expedition. Bal
mat became famous, receiving, besides Saus
sure prize, presents from the king OF Sardlnls
ana others. Next year de Saussure, with q
sulte Oh seventeen guides and pOrters, reached
Ine .op Dy boimats route, and carried out sue
cessiuily series OF most important meteoro
logical observations. During forty-One year.
Baimats route by the ROchers Rogues was tol
lowed, Till In 1927 two Englishmen made theil
way by the Corridor and the Mur de la Cote
At last, In 1859, Hudson succeeded in makins
his way over Les Bosses; successive layers o
snow Ialilng Tor nearly u century have estab
lished way 70 the summit wnich is now tns
least difficult. But this single fact illustrate.
the precarious character OF even the most IL
Vorabte adJunctS Ut Alpine climbing.
In the period from 1856 to 1850 Mont Blanc
was climbed by 500 visitors, without taking
into account guides, porters Or loca. chasseurs
VI these only 40 ascended the mountain dUrinl
the first 6S years between 17S6 and 1854; the
remaining $50 during the succeeding 26 years
among the climbers of Mont Blanc than iu
other parts OF the Alps. The fatal record down
10 1850 Included only 20 persons, OF whom
were tourists
In September, 1870. party consisting o.
| three tourists three guides, and i've porters
were overtaken near the summit by q snow
storm, which continued 10 rage with such VIC
lence that eight days passed before any searci,
could be made. Five frozen corpses were found
about 500 yards below the top; the remaining
SIX are wrapped In perpetual snow. Severa
ascents have Oeen made for scientific purpose.
since The time OF de Saussure. Thus, Marcins
Bravais and LIE Pileur, in Is4y; TyndaIl AND
Dr. Frankland in 1865, and Dr. PItschner in
1909. In 1861 the Photographer Bssor
reached the top after one failure. He had the
excellent guide, August BaimaL, with him, and
twenty-five porters. But The whole Oh the por
ters were quite overpowcred with sleep, the re
suits OF fatigue and the rarited air, 50 that he
and Baimat mad 10 DO every thing, naturally with
imperfect results.