The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-04

to Eny, except when cracks break apart
into yawning chasms, and massive
blocks tumble into the depths.
Even practised climber is occasion
ally compelled to look to his steps in
passing the Junction. On my return I
witnessed an accident In this place
which proved at the same time the re-
ality OF the danger and the usefulness
in sudden crises OF the mountaineer $
rope. y tourist descending from the
Grands Mulets was passing under an
impending serac, around the head of n
crevasse, where the only footway was
q few Inches of ice hewn with an axe.
Being needless or nervous his feet shot
from under. and with n yell he plunged
into the pit. Luckily he was tied to the
rope between two guides. one of whom
had passed the dangerous corner while
the other, behind, had also a safe foot
ing. AS he fell the guides braced them
selves. the rope tipped, and the unfor-
tunate adyenturer hung clutching and
kicking at the polished blue wall. He
had really descended but a few feet
into the crevasse, though to him doubt
less II seemed Il hundred, and with n
surprising display of strength, or skill.
the guides hauled him out by simply
tightening the rope. One of them pull
ed back and the other forward, and be-
tween them the sprawling victim rose
chasm, where n third man deXterously
caught and landed him.
Madame Mark and Olivier Gay were
not so fortunate near this spot In 1870.
A bridge of snow spanning Il crevas se
gave way beneath them, and, the rope
breaking, they disappeared and perish
ed in the abyss.
AT THE GRANDS MULETS.
We reached the Grands Mulcts in the
m IF q a tl,.a.
majority of amateur climbers are con.
tent to terminate their ascent OF Mont
Blanc The experience of getting as
far as this point and back again is, ms
the incidents just related show any
thing but insignificant, and prove not
only exciting but even tragic Yet, OF
course, the real work, the tug of war
between human endurance and the OBJ
stacies of untamed Nature, is above
The Grands Mulcts formed the stopping
place In some Of the earliest attempts
10 climb Mont Blanc more than a hun
dred years ago. Here Jacques BaImat,
the nero of the first ascent. passed an
awful night above, amid the cracking
(. OF glaciers and the shaking of ayalan-
ches before the final victory over The
peak in 11s6. In the spirit which led
the Romans to surname the conoueror
OF Hannibal "Scipio Africanus. the ex.
uitant Chamonniards, called their hero
bainistt oe Mont Blanc He. too,
hnally persisted by a fall from n precI-
pice In 1884, and to-day there are those
who whisper that his spirit can be seen
: hitting over the snowy waters before
every new catastrophe
fA me cabin az the Grands Mulets &c
furnished with rough hunks and cook,
Is ing apparatus, and, during the summer
a woman Adele Balmat, assisted by the
8 guides, acts as hostess for this high
1EnETphpn
level. sea
II is customary ia leave the Grands
= Mulets for the ascent to the SUNNI;
a soon after midnight in order to get owe,
Z the immense snow slopes before the
+ action OF the sun has loostned the ava
G lanches and weakened the crevasse
I bridges. But we did not start unit
,Aintlf-past three in the morning The
waning moon, hanging over the Domt
fSduA douter, gave sufficient light to rem
! cent called the GMnds Montees, which
!. t&s1a5 the breath. Having surmountet