Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20
THE SUMMIT OF MONT BLANC.
Prof TyndnlI Gives "a Thrilling Description
of a Fight Against the Cold.

Prof TyndaII Gives "a Thrilling Description
of Fight Against the Cold.
The Youths Companion.I
On Prof Tyndall's second ascent of Mont
Blanc he was caught in a snow-storm at the
summit He has given graphic descrip-
tion Of the difficulty and danger which at
tended his attempts at performing some
scientific experiments in such circumstan-
ces. 1t offered curious illustration of the
fact that there are times when nothing is so
welcome as suffering. The frost-bitteu man s
case became more hopeful as soon as he felt
pain.
the fine snow, which was caught by the wind
and spit bitterly at US, cut off a visible
communication between US and the lower
world. AS we approached the summit the
air thickened more and more, and the cold
became intense.
"We reached the top in good condition,
nevertheless, and leaving Balmat, the guide,
to make hole for the thermometer, I col
lected number of batons, drove them into
the snow, and, drawing my plaid round
them. formed kind of extempore tent to
shelter my boiling-water apparatus. The
covering was tightly hello, but the snow was
fine and dry as dust, and penetrated every
where; my lamp could not be secured
from it, and half a box of matches was con-
sumed in the effort to ignite it. At length
it did flame up, and carried on a splutering
combustion.
meanwhile the absence of muscular
action caused the cold to affect our men Sc
verely. myself was too intent upon my
work to feel it much, but l was numbed
one of my fingers had lost sensation, and
my right heel was in pain; still 1 had no
thought of relinquishing my observation
until Mr.. Wills came to say that we must
return speedily, for Balmat's hands were
frozen. did not comprehend the full sig
ni6cance of the word; but the porters pre-
sented such an aspect OF suffering that I
feared to detain them any longer.
Il struck my tent, deposited the thermom-
eter, and as 1 watched the covering of it up,
some OF the party commenced the descent.
1 followed them speedily. Midway down
the first slope saw Balmat, who was about
hundred yards in advance of me, sudden
ly pause and thrust his hands into the
snow and commenced rubbing them vigor-
ously.
'The suddenness of the act surprised me,
but 1 had no idea at the time OF its real sig
niicance. l soon came up to him; he
seemed frightened, and continued to beat
and rub his hands, plunging them at quick
intervals into the snow. Still 1 thought
the thing would speedily pass away, ior
I had too much faith in the mans expert
ence to suppose that he would permit him.
self to be seriously injured. But it did
not pass as hoped it would, and the posi-
bility of his losing his hands presented itself
to me.
"At last he became exhausted by his ef-
forts, staggered like drunken man and
fell upon the snow. Mr.. Wills and 1 took
each hand, and continued the process of
beating and rubbing. I feared that we
should injure him by our blows, but he con-
tinued to exclaim:
"'Don't be afraid! strike all the time,
strike hard!'
"We did so, till Mr.. Wills became ex-
hausted, and a porter had to take his place.
Meanwhile Balmat pinched and bit his
fingers at intervals, to test their condition;
but for long time there was no sensation.
He was evidently hopeless. At last return
ing sensation in one hand announced itself
by excruciating pain.
" L suffer! he exclaimed at intervals
words which, from man of iron endur-
ance, had more than ordinary significance.
But pain was better than death, and, un-
der the circumstances, sign of improve
ment.
1--WE resumed our descent, while he con-
tinued to rub his hands with snow and
brandy, thrusting them at every few steps
into the snow. At Chamouni he had
skilful medical advice, and escaped with
the loss of six of his nails-his hands were
saved"