Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28

tudes had had its effect. They we're forced to
return in their tracks and it was some days
before they recovered their health
In 1888 De SausSure became convinced that
he himself should lead a party of natives in
assault on the mountain An analysis of
previous climbs caused him to choose differ
ent route, one that led up the rocks of the
Aigulle de Goute to point on the snow slopes
not far from the summit. This route he care
fully reconnoitered
7 UNFORTUNATELY the Winters of 1874 and
1875 were unusually severe and the SHOWS
accumulated to such depth that an attempt
was out of the question until September 17s5.
In that month he had reports from his CHAM
onix guides that conditions were favorable and
the expedition was promptly organized
In the selection of its personnel friendship
had the upper hand De Saussure decided to
include not only M Bourrit, but the latter's
21-year-old son. 1t would have been better
to limit the party to the leader and his
guides. However, NJ. Bourrit contributed at
least one useful idea to the expedition De
Saussure had planned to devote two days to the
climb, ascending the first day to the barren rocks
at the foot of the Aiguille de Goute and going
thence to the summit and back on the second.
The night out, he thought, could safely be
spent under blanket tent But he gladly
accepted Bourrit's suggestion that a party of
Chamonix men should be sent two days
before to construct shelter of timbers and
stones
Up to this rude cabin they made their way on
clear morning in the middle of September the
three messieurs and Is or 10 guides. There the
party settled themselves for the night
Next morning the start was made at 615,
an unpardonably late hour for such climb.
This was due to Bourrit who insisted that at
an earlier hour the cold would be unsupportable.
They clambered gaiy up the rocks of the
Aguillo. But as the party went higher the
rocks became sleeper and the difficulties of
snow and ice more complicated
At last. after five hours climbing one of
the guides suggested that the rest of the party
wait while he went ahead to spy out the way
In an hour he returned to report that great
quantity of new wet and fallen, making
the route above both tosome and dangerous.
Unanimously, and with great regret, the decision
was made to turn back
More than 20 years had passed since De Saus-
sures first visit to Chamonix. generation of
boys had grown into men, and all the holder
spirits among them were minded some day to
win the reward Of the Geneva scientist.
One of the boldest of the lot was Jacques
Balmat. He lion of fellow, and he
loved TO wander alone in the mountains. Most
natives climb only from necessity but Balmat
was restless, combative fellow, wanting some
Mont Blanc became an obsession with Bal
mat Often he would climb the rocks of the
Brevent or higher up to the Flegero, and from
strategic vantage point would study various
routes to the summit. BY the Summer of 1886
he had convinced himself that those guides had
been right who had chosen the approach by the
Montague de la Cote and the Glacier des
Blossoms
One wakeful night, shortly before dawn, he
was seized with an irresistible impulse to renew
his assault on the mountain. He rose dressed,
buckled on his CATERS, took his iron-shod noun
tain pole, put a piece of bread and a flask of
brandy in his pocket-he was equipped. Telling
his wife that he was going to search for noun
tain crystals and not to worry if he failed to
return for day or two, he swung of down the
dark, deserted village street. Crossing the Arvo,
he entered the pine woods and began to mount
the path Leading to the upper end of the Cote
ridge
Three hours of steady mounting through the
pines brought him to the tumbled ice of the
Blossoms glacier. BY now the dawn had bright
ened the sky. Above him cluster of rocks
broke through the white snow. These he knew
to be the Grande Mulets, and toward them he
worked his way through the labyrinth of
crevaSSed glaciers. From below they had seemed
but step from the end of the ridge, but four
hours of work were required to reach them. He
had earned a rest. and, finding q niche in the
steep rocks, he had crust of bread and sup
from his flask