My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus (1895)

by Albert Frederick Mummery

For other versions of this work, see My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.

MY CLIMBS IN THE

ALPS AND CAUCASUS

 

 

BOOKS ON CLIMBING.

CONWAY AND COOLIDGE'S GUIDES.

Limp cloth, gold lettered, with
pocket, flap and pencil,
10s.net.

1. CENTRAL PENNINE ALPS.
2. EASTERN PENNINE ALPS.
3. THE LEPONTINE ALPS.
4. CENTRAL ALPS OF THE DAUPHINY
5. CHAIN OF MONT BLANC.
6. ADULA ALPS OF THE LEPOITTZNE RANGE
7. MOUNTAINS OF COGNE.
8. THE RANGE OF THE TODI
   Six Coloured Maps of the Alps of the Dauphiny, on linen, in cloth case 4s. 6d. the set.

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By W. M. CONWAY.

CLIMBING AND EXPLORATION

IN THE

KARAKORAM-HIMALAYAS.

800 Illustrations by A. D. McCormick.
One Vol., with small Map, 81s. 6d. net.
Two Vols., numbered and signed, large Map In case, £5 6s. net

Also

A SUPPLEMENTARY VOLUME, containing the Scientific Memoranda, &c, and Portrait of Mr. Conway. Also the large Map in special case, price 15s net.

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TWO SEASONS IN SWITZERLAND.

By HERBEBT MABSH, R.N.
Illustrated by photographs by O. Williamson.
Buckram, 10s. 6d. net.

[To be published in September.

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London: T. FISHER UNWIN.

 

 

THE WEISSHORN PIERCING THROUGH THE GREYNESS.

 

 

MY CLIMBS IN THE
ALPS AND CAUCASUS
BY A. F. MUMMERY

illustrated

LONDON T. FISHER UNWIN

NEW YORK CHAS. SCRIBNER'S SONS

MDCCCXCV

 

 

All rights reserved.

 

 

PREFACE.

Fate decrees that the mountaineer should, sooner or later, fall a victim to the furor scribendi, and, since it is useless for a mere mortal to contend with the gods, I have yielded to their behests. A fitting reward has been allotted me; though the delight of wandering among the great snow fields, of climbing the jagged ridges, and of plunging down through the primeval forest of some Caucasian valley, cannot be rivalled by the rarest fabric built of memory, yet the piecing together of old incidents, the interweaving of the laughter and the fears, the desperate struggles and the wild triumph of old-won victories, has tinged many a winter evening with the gorgeous colouring of Alpine sunsets and has knitted more firmly the bonds of well-tried friendships; to some extent, even, it has brought me nearer to that reckless, lucky, tireless youth, when the grass slopes, and the stones, and the other ills of life, had not found the art of troubling.

I fear no contributions to science, or topography, or learning of any sort are to be found sandwiched in between the story of crags and séracs, of driving storm and perfect weather. To tell the truth, I have only the vaguest ideas about theodolites, and as for plane tables, their very name is an abomination. To those who think with me, who regard mountaineering as unmixed play, these pages are alone addressed. Should they, in some dim afterglow fashion, reflect the joy and frolic of sunshine holidays, their utmost mission will have been accomplished, and pride will mightily inflate their author.

My sincerest thanks are due to those friends who have so kindly placed drawings and photographs at my disposal; indeed, I feel that my debt to them is wholly beyond expression.

A. F. MUMMERY.

 

 

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAPTER I.
the matterhorn—zmutt ridge		1
CHAPTER II.
the matterhorn—furggen ridge		24
CHAPTER III.
the col du lion		45
CHAPTER IV.
der teufelsgrat		66
CHAPTER V.
the aiguille des charmoz		96
CHAPTER VI.
the grépon		120
CHAPTER VII.
the dent du requin		161
CHAPTER VIII.
aiguille du plan		183
CHAPTER IX.
the aiguille verte—by the charpoua glacier		205
CHAPTER X.
the aiguille verte—by the moine ridge		221
CHAPTER XI.
a little pass—col des courtes		239
CHAPTER XII.
dych tau		258
CHAPTER XIII.
some caucasian passes		285
CHAPTER XIV.
the pleasures and penalties of mountaineering		324

 

 

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

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ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT.

	PAGE
TOURISTS	2
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
ZERMATT FASHIONS	3
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
AN "OFF DAY" AT THE MONTE ROSA HOTEL	8
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
CONSULTING THE GUIDES	10
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
NEUBRÜCKE	26
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
STALDEN	27
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
NEAR ZERMATT	27
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
THE HIGH STREET	28
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
THE TRIFTBACH BRIDGE	48
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
THE VILLAGE OF ZERMATT	67
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
THE RIFFEL PATH	95
From a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
THE "CRACK"	156
From a photograph by Miss Bristow.
GOATS	186
From a sketch by Miss Bristow.
THE BLAITIÉRE AND PLAN	188
From a photograph by Mr. Holmes.
IN THE VAL D'AOSTE	229
From a sketch by Miss E. Petherick.
COURMAYEUR	240
From a sketch by Miss Bristow.
GOING TO CHURCH	242
From a sketch by Miss Bristow.
A STREET IN COURMAYEUR	256
From a sketch by Miss E. Petherick.
DYCH TAU FROM THE SOUTH	270
From a photograph by Signor Sella.
JANGA FROM THE BEZINGI GLACIER	286
From a photograph by Mr. Woolley.
A SUANETIAN VILLAGE	302
From a photograph by Mr. Woolley.

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PLATES.

THE WEISSHORN PIERCING THROUGH THE GREYNESS	Frontispiece
A lithograph plate from a drawing by Mr. Pennell.
MATTERHORN	to	face	page	17
A photogravure from a photograph by Signor Sella.
CHARMOZ	,,	,,	,,	96
A photogravure from a drawing by Miss Bristow.
THE GRÉPON	,,	,,	,,	128
A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes.
THE LOWER PEAK OF THE GRÉPON	,,	,,	,,	135
A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes.
A CRAG ON THE GRÉPON	,,	,,	,,	150
From a photograph by Mr. Holmes.
MONT BLANC AND THE DENT DU REQUIN	,,	,,	,,	160
A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes.
MONT BLANC AND THE AIGUILLE DU PLAN	,,	,,	,,	183
A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes.
THE VERTE	,,	,,	,,	232
A photogravure from a photograph by Mr. Holmes.
DYCH TAU	,,	,,	,,	261
A photogravure from a photograph by Signor Sella.
GUIDES ON A CLOUDY DAY AT THE RIFPEL	,,	,,	,,	324
A lithograph plate from a drawing by Mr. Pennell.