in 1862. At the same rate of progression it would have taken us from four to five hours to get upon u the shoulder." Not one of us cared to attempt to do so under the existing circumstances; for besides having to move our own weight, which was sufficiently troublesome at this part of the ridge, we had to transport much heavy baggage, tent, blankets, and provisions, ladder, and 450 feet of rope, besides many other smaller matters. These, however, were not the most serious considerations. Supposing that we got upon "the shoulder," we might find ourselves detained there several days, unable either to go up or down.[1] I could not risk any such detention, being under obligations to appear in London at the end of the week.
We got to Breil in the course of the afternoon; it was quite fine there, and the tenants of the inn received our statements with 
Monsieur Favre.evident scepticism. They were astonished to learn that we had been exposed to a snow-storm of twenty-six hours' duration. "Why," said Favre, the innkeeper, "we have had no snow; it has been fine all the time you have been absent, and there has been only that small cloud upon the mountain." Ah! that small cloud! None except those who have had experience of it can tell what a formidable obstacle it is.
Why is it that the Matterhorn is subject to these abominable variations of weather? The ready answer is, "Oh, the mountain is so isolated; it attracts the clouds." This is not a sufficient answer. Although the mountain is isolated, it is not so much more isolated than the neighbouring peaks that it should gather clouds when none of the others do so. It will not at all account for the
- ↑ Since then (on at least one occasion), several persons have found themselves in this predicament for five or six consecutive days!
