Scrambles amongst the Alps in the years 1860-69 ... with maps and illustrations

Front matter

SCRAMBLES AMONGST THE ALPS IN THE YEARS 1860-69 £ MATTERHORN ON JUfi HF TAUQWALDCRS THOUGHT THAT IT HAD SOME CONNECTION WITH THE ACCI SCBAMBLES AMONGST THE ALPS IN THE YEAKS 1860-69 BY EDWARD WHYMPER WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS Toil and pleasure, in their natures opposite, are yet linked together in a kin of necessary i onnection. — Livi . LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET is PKEFACE. In the year 1860, shortly before leaving England for a long conti nental tour, a certain eminent London publisher requested me to make for him some sketches of the great Alpine peaks. At this time I had only a literary acquaintance with mountaineering, and had even not seen — much less set foot upon — a mountain. Amongst the peaks wliich were upon my list was Mont Pelvoux, in Dau phine. The sketches that were required of it were to celebrate the triumph of some Englishmen who intended to make its ascent.

They came — they saw — but they did not conquer. P>y a mere chance I fell in with a very agreeable Frenchman who accompanied this party, and was pressed by him to return to the assault. In 1861 we did so, with my friend Macdonald — and we conquered. This was the origin of my scrambles amongst the Alps. Tlie ascent of Mont Pelvoux (including the disagreeables) was a very delightful scramble. The mountain air did not act a emetic ; the sky did not look black, instead of blue ; nor did I feel tempted to throw myself over precipices. I hastened to enlarge my experience, and went to the Matterhorn. I was urged towards Mont Pelvoux by those mysterious impulses which cause men to peer into the unknown. Not only was this mountain reputed to be the highest in France, and on that account was worthy of attention, but it was the dominating point of a most picturesque district of the highest interest, which, to this day, remains almost unexplored !

The Matterhorn attracted me simply by its grandeur. It was con sidered to be the most thoroughly inaccessible of all mountains, even by those who ought to have known better. Stimulated to make fresh exertions by one repulse after another, I returned, year a

Preface

. VI after year, as I had opportunity, more and more determined to find a way up it, or to prove it to be really inaccessible. A considerable portion of this volume is occupied by the his tory of these attacks on the Matterhorn, and the other excursions that are described have all some connection, more or less remote, with that mountain or with Mont Pelvoux. All are new excursions (that is, excursions made for the first time), unless the con trary is pointed out. Some have been passed over very briefly, and entire ascents or descents have been disposed of in a single line. If they had been worked out at full length, three volumes, instead of one, woidd have been required. Generally speaking, the salient points alone have been dwelt upon, and the rest has been lest to the imagination. This treatment has spared the reader from much useless repetition.

In endeavouring to make the book of some use to those who may wish to go mountain-scrambling, whether in the Alps or else where, undue prominence, perhaps, has been given to our mistakes and failures ; and it will doubtless be pointed out that our practice must have been bad if the principles which are laid down are sound, ur that the principles must be unsound if the practice was good. It is maintained in an early chapter that the positive, or unavoidable, dangers of mountaineering are very small, yet from subsequent pages it can lie shown that very considerable risks were run. The m is obvious — we were not immaculate. Our blunders are not held up to be admired, or to be imitated, but to be avoided These scrambles amongst the Alps were holiday excursions, and as such they should be judged.

They are spoken of as sport, and nothing more. Th,' pleasure that they gave me cannot, I fear, li,' transferred to others. The ablest pens have failed, and must always fail, to give a true idea of the grandeur of the Alps. The most minute descriptions of the greatest writers do nothing more than convey impressions thai are entirely erroneous — the reader conjures up visions, it, may be magnificent ones, but they are infi nitely inferior tn tinreality, I have dealt sparingly in descrip-

PREFACE.

. VII tions, and have employed illustrations freely, in the hope that the pencil may perhaps succeed where the pen must inevitably have failed. The preparation of tlie illustrations has occupied a large part of my time during the last six years. With the exception of the views upon pp. 21, 23, and 33, the whole of the illustrations have been engraved expressly for the book, and, unless it is otherwise specified, all are from my own sketches. About fifty have been drawn on the wood by Mr. James Mahoney, and I am much in debted to that artist for the care and fidelity with wliich he has followed my shght memoranda, and for the spirit that he has put into his admirable designs. Most of his drawings will be identified by his monogram. Twenty of the remainder are the work of Mr. Cyrus Johnston, and out of these I would draw especial attention to the view of the Matterhorn facing p. 84, the striated rock upon p. 141, and the bits from the Mer de Glace upon pp. 355-6.

The illustrations have been introduced as illustrations, and very rarely for ornamental purposes. We have subordinated everything in them to accuracy, and it is only fair to the artists who have honoured me by their assistance to say that many of their designs would have ranked higher as works of art if they had been subjected to fewer restrictions. Most of the subjects have required very fine and finished engraving, and this, in its turn, has compelled the use of paper of unexceptionable quality. The whole of the paper in the book has been made expressly for it by Messrs. Dickinson, who assure me that it is the finest paper they have ever produced — it is certainly tlie most perfectly manufactured paper that has come under my notice. Mr. Clark's printing will speak for itself. It is now my pleasant duty to acknowledge assistance that has been rendered, directly or indirectly, by friends and strangers, at home or abroad.

First of all, my thanks are due to my com panions for having placed their journals and sketches freely at my disposal I am particularly obliged to Mr. J. Longridge, to Mr. T. F. Mitchell, and to Mr. W. Cutbill, for the facilities that they BUE FACE. granted me when examining the Fell railway in 1869. From the Rev. T. G. Bonney (of St. John's Coll., Cambridge), and Mr. Rob. H. Scott, F.R.S., I have received many friendly hints and much valued criticism ; and aid, in a variety of ways, from Mr. Budden, Prof. Gastaldi and Sig. Giordano, in Italy ; from M. Emile Templier and the Marechal Canrobert, in France ; and from Mr. Gosset of Berne. I am indebted to Mr. William Longman for being allowed to reproduce the Ascent of Mont Pelvoux * and three of its accompanying illustrations, and to the Messrs. Long man for the use of a portion of their map of the Western Alps ; to the Enghsh Alpine Club for the use of a part of Mr. Reilly's map of the Valpelline and Val Tournanche; and especially to the Federal Council of Switzerland for having granted the unusual favour of a transfer from two of the valuable plates of the Dufour map.

Tlie two remaining maps are original. That of Mont Blanc is based upon the Government maps of France and Switzerland, and the survey of Mr. Reilly ; and that of the Matterhorn and its glaciers (excluding some corrections which I have taken the liberty of making) is an enlargement of a portion of the Dufour map. Ham.emf.re, May 1871. * From Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers, 2d series. With this exception, almost the whole ofthe text is now published for tinfirst time. CONTENTS. 1860

Chapter I. Introductory

BEACHY HEAD — DEVIL OF NOTRE DAME — MULES — SCRAMBLING ALONE — THE WEISS- HORN — ST. BERNARD — RASCALLY GUIDE — A VILLAGE CONCERT — STORM ON" I 111: COL DE LAUTARET ....... Pages 1-13 18G1

Chapter II. The Ascent Of Jiont Pelvoux

THE VALLEYS OF DAUPHIN^ — THE PEAKS OF DAUPII INK— MISTAKES IN THEIll IDENTIFICATION — EAP.LY ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND MONT PELVOUX —

Introduction

TO MONSIEUR REYNAUD — THE "ASSOCIATION ALIMENTAIRE " OF GRENOBLE — MEETING WITH MACDONALD — CROSS THE COL DE LAUTAEET — NATIONAL SENTI- MENTS — WE ENGAGE A GUIDE — STAr.T FOR PELVOUX — TASS THE CAVERN OF THE VAUDOIS — MASSACRE OF THE VAUDOIS — FIRST NIGHT OUT — WE ARE RE- PULSED — ARRIVAL OF MACDONALD — THIRD NIGHT OUT — TORRENTS ON FIRE — FALLING ROCKS — ASCENT OF THE PELVOUX — THE PYRAMID — VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT — WE DISCOVER THE POINTE DES ECRINS — SURPRISED BY NIGnT — ON FLEAS — EN ROUTE FOR MONTE VISO — VALUE OF THE PASSPORT SYSTEM — DE- SERTERS — CAMP ON AN ANT-HILL — ST. VERAN — PRIMITIVE MANNERS— NATURAL PILLARS — ARRIVE AT BRIANQON ...... 14-45

Chapter III. The Mont Cenis Pass And The Fell

RAILWAY— THE GREAT TUNNEL THROUGH THE ALPS. DILIGENCES — A STEEP RAILROAD — THE CENTRE RAIL — DESCRIPTION OF THE FELL RAILROAD— CENTRE RAIL BREAK — ADVANTAGES AND DEFECTS— HISTORY OF THE MONT CENIS TUNNEL— THE " FERFORATRICES " — TEMPERATURE OF THE TUNNEL — THE ADVANCES GALLERY— SYSTEM OF ATTACK — THE COST— ANNUAL PROGF. VENTILATION— COMPARISONS ...... 46-79 CONTENTS. X

Chapter IV. My First Scramble On The Matterhorn. Introduction

TO JEAN-ANTOINE CARREL— SUPERSTITIONS OF THE NATIVES IN RE- GARD TO THE MATTERHORN— RIDGES OF THE MATTERHORN— EARLIEST ATTEMPTS io VsiT.Nl, THE MOUNTAIN — ATTEMPT BY THE MESSRS. PARKER — ATTEMPT BY ME8SRS. HAWKINS AND TYNDALL — ARRIVE AT BREIL — UNWILLINGNESS OF THE GUIDES TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MATTERHORN— THE CARRELS EN- DEAVOUR TO CUT IS OUT — THE 'GREAT STAIRCASE' — WE DECIDE TO CAMP ON THE COL DU II" GREAT EXCITEMENT FROM FALLING STONES — LIGHT AND SHADE — THE 'CHIMNEY' — DEFEATED — A COOL PROCEEDING . Pages 80-95 18G2

Chapter V. Renewed Attempts

To ASCEND THE MATTERHORN. MR, KENNEDY'S WINTER ATTEMPT — BENNEN refuses TO MARI* AGAIN — THE THEO DULE PASS — MEYNET, THE HUNCHBACK OF BREIL — ON ALPINE TENTS — MACDONALD AND I MART FOR THE MATTERHORN— NARROW ESCAPE OF KRONIG — VIOLENT WIND TURNS IS RACK — ENGAGE CARREL AND PESSION AND START AGAIN — THE 'GREAT TOWER' — PESSION BECOMES ILL AND WE ARE OBLIGED TO RETURN — BAD "fl I LTRER— SCRAMBLE ALONE ON THE MATTERHORN — PIONEERS OF VEGETATION — VIEW FROM THE TENT — A SOLITARY BIVOUAC — MONTE VISO SEEN BY MOONLIGHT AT NINETY-EIGHT MII.Es' DISTANCE— ON AIDS TO CLIMBERS — CLIMBING CLAW — FIND A NEW PLACE FOR THE TENT — DIFFICULTY AND DANGER — ON FooLHARDI NESS — I ATTAIN A GREATER ALTITUDE ALONE THAN UAH BEEN REACHED BEFORE, ANU NEARLY COME TO GRIEE — MY FOURTH ATTEMPT TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN — DEFEATED AGAIN BY WEATHER — THE CARRELS GO MARMOT-HUNTING, AND WE START FOR A FIFTH ATTEMPT — DEFEATED BY NATURAL DIFFICULTIES — TYNDA1.L ARRIVES AND CARRIES OFF HIE CARREL: A CANNONADE, ON THE MATTERHORN — TYNDALL In REPULSED — CONFLAGRATION IN DAUPHIN* . . 96-130 1SG3

Chapter VI. The Val

TOUBNANCHE— THE BBEUILJOCH— ZEBMATT— ASCENT OF THE GEAND TOUENALIN. 1*111*. DOUANE — " BUT WHAT IS THIS ? " — DIFFICULTIES WITH MY LADDER— EXPLANATION mi rvM.AI.I.'s REPULSE— BOII IN (?) AQUEDUCT IN THE VAL sOURHANCHE ASCEND THE CIMES BLANCHES- » TEA GO IT— NEW Pass To ZERMATT (BREUILJOl 111 AQUEOUS AM' '. I ll n l; EROSION — ol U II l: VERSUS ROCKS — RESULTING FORMS (ROCHES MOUTONN4ES) — M0TI0H OF GI LCIER8 PREVENTS THE ICE FROM BEING CONTENTS. XI FORCED INTO HOLLOWS—PROJECTIONS ALONE SUFFER — CONSEQUENT FLATTENING OF ROCK-SURFACES — ROCHES NIVELEES — STRIATION8 AND THEIR MEANING — VIOLENT GLACIAL M ITON IN ICELAND — ROTUNDITY OF ROCHES MOITONNEES PROVES A SMALL AMOUNT OF EROSION — ON LEE-SIDES — THE EROSIVE I'oWER OF A GLACIER I 0 I8TANTLY DIMINISHES — CONSERVATION OF ROCKS — SEILER'8 DISINTEREST] D — THE MATTERHORN CLIFFS — EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT TO A CHAMOIS — COL DE VALPELLINE — THE MASTER of PRERAYEN — ATTEMPT TO Ascend DENT D'ERIN (D'HERENS) — THE VA CORNERE r.VSS — ASCENT OF Till*. GRAND TOURNALIN — SPLEN- DID VIEW EKoM THE SUMMIT — ON PANORAMIC VIEWS — GOUFFRE DE8 BU8SERAILL1 - — AN ENTERPRISING INNKEEPER ..... Pages 131-168

Chapter VII. Our Sixth Attempt To Ascend The Matterhorn

EXTREMES MEET — THUNDER AND LIGHTNING — ECHOES OF THUNDER — GREAT ROCK- FALLS DURING THE NIGHT— DEFEATED BY THE WEATHER — MYSTERIOUS MISTS 169-178 1864

Chapter VIII. From St

MICHEL TO LA BERARDE BY THE COL DES AIGS. D'ARVE, COL DE MARTIGNARE, AND THE BBECHE DE LA MEIJE. MICHEL CROZ — COL DE VALLOIRES — THE AIGUILLES d'aRVE — WE MAKE A PASS BETWEEN THEM — COL DE MARTIGNARE — ASCENT OF THE AIG. DE LA SAUSSE — THE MEIJE — BRECHE DE LA MEIJE — MELCHIOR ANDEREGG — LA GRAVE — THE BRECHE [8 WON — THE VALLON DES ETANCoNS ..... 179-200

Chapter IX. The Ascent Of The Tointe Des Ecrins

BIVOUAC ON IIII*. GLACIER DE LA BONNE PIERRE — DISSOLVING VIEWS — DRYNESS OF THE AIR — TOPOGRAPHY OF CENTRAL DAUPHINE ALPS— FIRST ATTEMPTS TO ASI THE ECRINS— A MIGHTY AVALANCHE— OUR ASCENT OF THE FINAL PEAK— ON SPLINTERS FROM SUMMITS— LE JEU NE VAUT PAS LA CHANDELLE— SHATTERED BIDGE ALMER'S LEAP— SURPRISED BY NIGHT— A WARNING . . 201-221

Chapter X. From Val Louise To La Bbrabde By The Col De

FILATTE. CHALETS OF ENTRAIGUE8— ARRIVAL OF REYNAUIl— ON SNOW COULOIRS — SUM1 1 THE COL— EXCITING DESCENT— REYNAUD COMES OVER THE SI 111:1 dD — THE LAST OF DAUPHINE . . . . • ■ • . • 2*22-231 CONTENTS.

Chapter XI. Passage Of The Col De Tbiolet, And Ascents Of Mont

DOLENT, AIGUILLE DE TBBLATfiTE, AND AIGUILLE D'ARGENTIERE. MAPS OF MONT BLANC — MR. ADAMS-REILLY — oui: i OMPACT — THE PEAKS OF THE MONT BLANC RANGE — ACROSS THE COL DE TRIOLET — A MINIATURE ASCENT — REII.LY ADVOCATES PATIENCE — BIVOUAC ON MONT SUC— ASCENT OF AIG. DE TREXAT&TE — iiii: MORAINE OF MM MAGE— ON MORAINES IN GENERAL — ERRONEOUS VIEWS RESPECTING TH EM — MORAINES IN GREENLAND— OUR FIRST ATTEMPT TO ASCEND AIG. D'ARGENTli'RE — A CONCEALED CAVERN — 8UCCE88 AT LAST — MR. REILLY's mar . . . . . . . Pages 232-252

Chapter XII. The Moming

PASS— ZERMATT. SWISS MENDICANTS — NIGHT ON THE ARPITETTA ALP — A PERILOUS PATH — ICE- AVALANCHE — SUMMIT OF THE MOMING FASS — CROZ DISTINGUISHES niMSELF — THE CLUB-ROOM OF ZERMATT ...... 253-262 1865

Chapter XIII. The Ascent Of The Grand Cornier

on choice OF ROUTES — REGRETS — ZINAL — ASCENT oF IHE GRAND CORNIER — EEI Ti fS OF SUN AND FROST— GREAT RIDGES SUFFER MOST— POINTS OF DIFFERENCE BE- TWEEN ATMOSPHERIC AND GLACIER EROSION — ABRICOLLA . . 263-273

Chapter XIV. The Ascent Of The Dent Blanche

i.eslie Stephen— Kennedy's ascent— on bergschrunds— unwelcome attentions — a race for 1. 1ee — benighted— a surprise .... 274-280

Chapter XV. Lost On The Col

D'HERENS— SEVENTH ATTEMPT TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN. \ l \ II". START AND THE RESI IT- 1:1 wil HI RED — RETURN TO IBRICOLLA— ORO li'llERENs TO ZERM MT— \sor.NI> THE THEODULHORN— NEW IDE IS REGARDING THE MATTERHORN — DECEPTIVENEss of Till I \- I I LCE — STRATIFICATION DIP OF THE -TRY ANOTHER ROUTE "SAUVl oil PEUT " — BEATEN AGAIN 281-294 t 'o.\ TESTS. XIII

Chapter XVI. On The Valley Of Aosta And The Ascent Of The

GRANDES Jorasses. THE BOUQUETIN — ON CRETINISM AND OOItR] . UT8E6 OF THEIR ORIGIN— POSSIBILITY OF CHECKING PROGRESS OF CRETINISM— THE ANCIENT GLACIER OF AOSTA AND THE vi, ,r vines of ivrea— ramsay's erosion theory — tyndall's theory — contradictions — CRITII evi ,,l THE THE,, RIES- CONCLUSIONS- SUMMIT OF Till: GRANDES JORASSES— WE START AN AVALANCHE . . . Pages 295-345

Chapter XVII. The Col Dolent

CONFUSION OF IDEAS — A MI I, NIGHT START — BUMMIT OF THE PASS— EXTRAORDINARY ICE-WALL — MANNER OF ITS DESCENT — ON ICE-AXES ANU THEIR USE — ON ICE- SLOPES AND THEIR SAFETY — CRAMPONS— ARR1 VAL AT CHAMOUNIX . 346-352

Chapter XVIII. Ascent Of The Aiguille Verte

croz leaves us— christian almer— sunset on the mer de glace — strui i i rl of glaciers — the "veined structure" — origin" of vein's in glaciers — ascent of the aiguille — advice to mountain walkers — view from hii: ■summit — storms come on — a worthy porter — the noble attitude ok chamounix ........ 353-365

Chapter XIX. The Col De Talefre

the col. du geant — the glacier de talefre— easy way from chamounix to cokmayei r — glissading — passes over the main chain oe mont blanc .... ..... 366-369

Chapter XX. Ascent Of The Ruinette-the Matterhorn

FACILITY WITH WHICH THE RUINETTE CAN BE ASCENDED — NOBLE PANORAMA — ON CONCEALED CREVASSES — GUIDES' OBJECTION TO USE OF THE ROPE — ON THE USE AND ARISE OF THE ROPE— ALMER DECLINES THE MATTERHORN — ENGAGE THE CARRELS — THEIR DEFECTION — THE ITALIANS STEAL A MARCH ARRIVAL OF LORD FRANCIS DOUGLAI MEETING WITH CROZ ANO HUDSON . . . 370-383 CONTENTS.

Chapter XXI. The Ascent Of The

.MATTERHORN. CHARLES HUDSON— CAMP ON THE EAST FACE— CROZ REPORTS FAVOURABLY — ASCEN1 OF THE EASTERN FACE (Ross lo mi: NORTHERN BIDE — ARRIVAL AT SUMMIT — DISCOMFITURE OF THE ITALIANS — ASTONISHMENT IT IIKI.1L — MARVELLOUS PANO- RAMA . . . . Pages 384-394

Chapter XXII. The Descent Of The Matterhorn

o HI, ER OF THE DESCENT— A FRIGHTFUL AVALANCHE— HADOW SLIPS— DEATH OF CROZ, HADOW, HUDSON, AND LORD F. DOUGLAS — TERROR OF THE TAUGWALDERS— THE BROKEN ROPE — AN APPARITION — AN INFAMOUS PROPOSITION— SURPRISED BY NIGHT — SEARCH FOR AND RECOVERY OF THE BODIES — OFFICIAL EXAMINATION — THE END ......... 395-408