Scrambles amongst the Alps

by Edward Whymper

FOG-BOW SEEN FROM THE MATTERHORN ON JULY 14, 1865.

"THE TANGWALDERS THOUGHT THAT IT HAD SOME CONNECTION WITH THE ACCIDENT"

See Chap. XXII.

SCRAMBLES

AMONGST THE ALPS IN THE

YEARS 1860-69

BY

EDWARD WHYMPER

WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Toil and pleasure, in their natures opposite, are yet linked together in a kind of necessary connection. — Livv.

LONDON

JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET

1871

All rights are reserved.

CONTENTS

PREFACE.

1860

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

BEACHY HEAD—DEVIL OF NOTRE DAME—MULES—SCRAMBLING ALONE—THE WEISSHORN—ST. BERNARD—RASCALLY GUIDE—A VILLAGE CONCERT—STORM ON THE COL DE LAUTARET

Pages 1-13

CHAPTER II.

THE ASCENT OF MONT PELVOUX.

THE VALLEYS OF DAUPHINÉ—THE PEAKS OF DAUPHINÉ—MISTAKES IN THEIR IDENTIFICATION—EARLY ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND MONT PELVOUX—INTRODUCTION TO MONSIEUR REYNAUD—THE "ASSOCIATION ALIMENTAIRE" OF GRENOBLE—MEETING WITH MACDONALD—CROSS THE COL DE LAUTARET—NATIONAL SENTIMENTS—WE ENGAGE A GUIDE—START FOR PELVOUX—PASS THE CAVERN OF THE VAUDOIS—MASSACRE OF THE VAUDOIS—FIRST NIGHT OUT—WE ARE REPULSED—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 NIGHT—ON FLEAS—EN ROUTE FOR MONTE VISO—VALUE OF THE PASSPORT SYSTEM—DESERTERS—CAMP ON AN ANT-HILL—ST. VERAN—PRIMITIVE MANNERS—NATURAL PILLARS—ARRIVE AT BRIANCON

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 "PERFORATRICES"—TEMPERATURE OF THE TUNNEL—THE ADVANCED GALLERY—SYSTEM OF ATTACK—THE COST—ANNUAL PROGRESS—VENTILATION—COMPARISONS

46-79

CHAPTER IV.

MY FIRST SCRAMBLE ON THE MATTERHORN.

INTRODUCTION TO JEAN-ANTOINE CARREL—SUPERSTITIONS OF THE NATIVES IN REGARD TO THE MATTERHORN—RIDGES OF THE MATTERHORN—EARLIEST ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND THE MOUNTAIN—ATTEMPT BY THE MESSRS. PARKER—ATTEMPT BY MESSRS. HAWKINS AND TYNDALL—ARRIVE AT BREIL—UNWILLINGNESS OF THE GUIDES TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MATTERHORN—THE CARRELS ENDEAVOUR TO CUT US OUT—THE 'GREAT STAIRCASE'—WE DECIDE TO CAMP ON THE COL DU LION—GREAT EXCITEMENT FROM FALLING STONES—LIGHT AND SHADE—THE 'CHIMNEY'—DEFEATED—A COOL PROCEEDING

80-95

1862

CHAPTER V.

RENEWED ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.

MR. KENNEDY'S WINTER ATTEMPT—BENNEN REFUSES TO START AGAIN—THE THEODULE PASS—MEYNET, THE HUNCHBACK OF BREIL—ON ALPINE TENTS—MACDONALD AND I START FOR THE MATTERHORN—NARROW ESCAPE OF KRONIG—VIOLENT WIND TURNS US BACK—ENGAGE CARREL AND PESSION AND START AGAIN—THE 'GREAT TOWER'—PESSION BECOMES ILL AND WE ARE OBLIGED TO RETURN—BAD WEATHER—SCRAMBLE ALONE ON THE MATTERHORN—PIONEERS OF VEGETATION—VIEW FROM THE TENT—A SOLITARY BIVOUAC—MONTE VISO SEEN BY MOONLIGHT AT NINETY-EIGHT MILES' DISTANCE—ON AIDS TO CLIMBERS—CLIMBING CLAW—FIND A NEW PLACE FOR THE TENT—DIFFICULTY AND DANGER—ON FOOLHARDINESS—I ATTAIN A GREATER ALTITUDE ALONE THAN HAD BEEN REACHED BEFORE, AND NEARLY COME TO GRIEF—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—TYNDALL ARRIVES AND CARRIES OFF THE CARRELS—A CANNONADE ON THE MATTERHORN—TYNDALL IS REPULSED-CONFLAGRATION IN DAUPHINÉ

96-130

1863

CHAPTER VI.

THE VAL TOURNANCHE—THE BREUILJOCH—ZERMATT—ASCENT OF THE GRAND TOURNALIN.

THE DOUANE—"BUT WHAT IS THIS?"—DIFFICULTIES WITH MY LADDER—EXPLANATION OF TYNDALL'S REPULSE—ROMAN (?) AQUEDUCT IN THE VAL TOURNANCHE—ASCEND THE CIMES BLANCHES—WE DECEIVE A GOAT—NEW PASS TO ZERMATT (BREUILJOCH)—AQUEOUS AND GLACIER EROSION-GLACIER VERSUS ROCKS—RESULTING FORMS (ROCHES MOUTONNÉES)—MOTION OF GLACIERS PREVENTS THE ICE FROM BEING

FORCED INTO HOLLOWS—PROJECTIONS ALONE SUFFER—CONSEQUENT FLATTENING OF ROCK-SURFACES—ROCHES NIVELEES—STRIATIONS AND THEIR MEANING—VIOLENT GLACIAL ACTION IN ICELAND—ROTUNDITY OF ROCHES MOUTONNEES PROVES A SMALL AMOUNT OF EROSION—ON LEE-SIDES—THE EROSIVE POWER OF A GLACIER CONSTANTLY DIMINISHES—CONSERVATION OF ROCKS—SEILER'S DISINTERESTEDNESS—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 CORNÈRE PASS—ASCENT OF THE GRAND TOURNALIN—SPLENDID VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT—ON PANORAMIC VIEWS—GOUFFRE DES BUSSERAILLES—AN ENTERPRISING INNKEEPER

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 BÉRARDE BY THE COL DES AIGS. D'ARVE,COL DE MARTIGNARE, AND THE BRÈCHE 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—BRÈCHE DE LA MEIJE—MELCHIOR ANDEREGG—LA GRAVE—THE BRÈCHE IS WON—THE VALLON DES ETANÇONS

179-200

CHAPTER IX.

THE ASCENT OF THE POINTE DES ECRINS.

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

201-221

CHAPTER X.

FROM VAL LOUISE TO LA BÉRARDE BY THE COL DE PILATTE.

CHALETS OF ENTRAIGUES—ARRIVAL OF REYNAUD—ON SNOW COULOIRS—SUMMIT OF THE COL—EXCITING DESCENT—REYNAUD COMES OVER THE SCHRUND—THE LAST OF DAUPHINÉ

222-231

CHAPTER XI.

PASSAGE OF THE COL DE TRIOLET, AND ASCENTS OF MONT DOLENT, AIGUILLE DE TRÉLATÊTE, AND AIGUILLE D'ARGENTIÈRE.

MAPS OF MONT BLANC—MR. ADAMS-REILLY—OUR COMPACT—THE PEAKS OF THE MONT BLANC RANGE—ACROSS THE COL DE TRIOLET—A MINIATURE ASCENT—REILLY ADVOCATES PATIENCE—BIVOUAC ON MONT SUC—ASCENT OF AIG. DE TRÉLATÊTE—THE MORAINE OF THE MIAGE—ON MORAINES IN GENERAL—ERRONEOUS VIEWS RESPECTING THEM—MORAINES IN GREENLAND—OUR FIRST ATTEMPT TO ASCEND AIG. D'ARGENTIÈRE—A CONCEALED CAVERN—SUCCESS AT LAST—MR. REILLY'S MAP

232-252

CHAPTER XII.

THE MOMING PASS—ZERMATT.

SWISS MENDICANTS—NIGHT ON THE ARPITETTA ALP—A PERILOUS PATH—ICE-AVALANCHE—SUMMIT OF THE MOMING PASS—CROZ DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF—THE CLUB-ROOM OF ZERMATT

253-262

1865

CHAPTER XIII.

THE ASCENT OF THE GRAND CORNIER.

ON CHOICE OF ROUTES—REGRETS—ZINAL—ASCENT OF THE GRAND CORNIER—EFFECTS OF SUN AND FROST—GREAT RIDGES SUFFER MOST—POINTS OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ATMOSPHERIC AND GLACIER EROSION—ABRICOLLA

263-273

CHAPTER XIV.

THE ASCENT OF THE DENT BLANCHE.

LESLIE STEPHEN—KENNEDY'S ASCENT—ON BERGSCHRUNDS—UNWELCOME ATTENTIONS—A RACE FOR LIFE—BENIGHTED—A SURPRISE

274-280

CHAPTER XV.

LOST ON THE COL D'HÉRENS—SEVENTH ATTEMPT TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN.

A LATE START AND THE RESULT—BEWILDERED—RETURN TO ABRICOLLA—CROSS COL D'HÉRENS TO ZERMATT—ASCEND THE THEODULHORN—NEW IDEAS REGARDING THE MATTERHORN—DECEPTIVENESS OF THE EAST FACE—STRATIFICATION—DIP OF THE BEDS—TRY ANOTHER ROUTE—"SAUVE QUI PEUT"—BEATEN AGAIN.

281-294

CHAPTER XVI.

ON THE VALLEY OF AOSTA AND THE ASCENT OF THE GRANDES JORASSES.

THE BOUQUETIN—ON CRÉTINISM AND GOÎTRE—CAUSES OF THEIR ORIGIN—POSSIBILITY OF CHECKING PROGRESS OF CRÉTINISM—THE ANCIENT GLACIER OF AOSTA AND THE MORAINES OF IVREA—RAMSAY'S EROSION THEORY—TYNDALL's THEORY—CONTRADICTIONS—CRITICISM OF THE THEORIES—CONCLUSIONS—SUMMIT OF THE GRANDES JORASSES—WE START AN AVALANCHE

295-345

CHAPTER XVII.

THE COL DOLENT.

CONFUSION OF IDEAS—A MIDNIGHT START—SUMMIT OF THE PASS—EXTRAORDINARY ICE-WALL—MANNER OF ITS DESCENT—ON ICE-AXES AND THEIR USE—ON ICE-SLOPES AND THEIR SAFETY—CRAMPONS—ARRIVAL AT CHAMOUNIX

346-352

CHAPTER XVIII.

ASCENT OF THE AIGUILLE VERTE.

CROZ LEAVES US—CHRISTIAN ALMER—SUNSET ON THE MER DE GLACE—STRUCTURE OF GLACIERS—THE "VEINED STRUCTURE"—ORIGIN OF VEINS IN GLACIERS—ASCENT OF THE AIGUILLE—ADVICE TO MOUNTAIN WALKERS—VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT—STORMS COME ON—A WORTHY PORTER—THE NOBLE ATTITUDE OF CHAMOUNIX

353-365

CHAPTER XIX.

THE COL DE TALÈFRE.

THE COL DU GÉANT—THE GLACIER DE TALÈFRE—EASY WAY FROM CHAMOUNIX TO CORMAYEUR—GLISSADING—PASSES OVER THE MAIN CHAIN OF 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 ABUSE OF THE ROPE—ALMER DECLINES THE MATTERHORN—ENGAGE THE CARRELS—THEIR DEFECTION—THE ITALIANS STEAL A MARCH—ARRIVAL OF LORD FRANCIS DOUGLAS—MEETING WITH CROZ AND HUDSON

370-383

CHAPTER XXI.

THE ASCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.

CHARLES HUDSON—CAMP ON THE EAST FACE—CROZ REPORTS FAVOURABLY—ASCENT OF THE EASTERN FACE—CROSS TO THE NORTHERN SIDE—ARRIVAL AT SUMMIT—DISCOMFITURE OF THE ITALIANS—ASTONISHMENT AT BREIL—MARVELLOUS PANORAMA

384-394

CHAPTER XXII.

THE DESCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.

ORDER 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

APPENDIX.

		Page
A.	PROGRESS OF THE GREAT TUNNEL THROUGH THE ALPS	411
B.	THE DEATH OF BENNEN	412
C.	STRUCK BY LIGHTNING UPON THE MATTERHORN	414
D.	NOTE ON THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN FRANCE	415
E.	SUBSEQUENT HISTORY OF THE MATTERHORN	415
F.	TABLE OF ATTEMPTS TO ASCEND THE MATTERHORN	422
G.	TABLE OF ASCENTS OF THE MATTERHORN	423
H.	GEOLOGY OF THE MATTERHORN, BY SIG. F. GIORDANO	424
I.	ON STRATIFICATION OF SNOW AND FORMATION OF GLACIER	426
J.	DENUDATION IN THE VALLEY OF THE DURANCE	431

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

The Drawings were made on the Wood by

H. J. Boot, C. Johnson, J. Mahoney, J. W. North, P. Skelton, W. G. Smith, and C. J. Staniland;

and were Engraved by J. W. and Edward Whymper.

* From Photographs. ** Designs.

FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

1.	Fog-bow, seen from the Matterhorn on July 14, 1865.	Frontispiece.
2.	Mont Pelvoux and the Alefroide, from near Mont Dauphin	To face page	35
* 3.	The Mont Cenis Road and the Fell Railway, on the Italian side	"	52
4.	Outlines of the Matterhorn from the north-east and from the Summit of the Theodule Pass (to show Ridges, and Points attained on the different attempts to ascend the mountain)	"	83
5.	The Matterhorn, from near the Summit of the Theodule Pass	"	84
6.	'The Chimney'	"	119
7.	"In attempting to pass the corner I slipped and fell"	"	120
** 8.	A Cannonade on the Matterhorn (1862)	"	127
9.	The Crags of the Matterhorn, during the Storm, Midnight, Aug. 10, 1863	"	175
** 10.	Descending Western Arête of the Pointe des Ecrins	"	217
** 11.	"We saw a toe—it seemed to belong to Moore; we saw Reynaud a flying body"	"	229
** 12.	The Summit of the Moming Pass in 1864	"	259
** 13.	The Club-Room of Zermatt in 1864	"	262
14.	The Bergschrund on the Dent Blanche in 1865	"	276
15.	The Matterhorn from the Riffelberg	"	285
16.	Sections of the Matterhorn	"	288
* 17.	The Grandes Jorasses from the Val Ferret	"	344
18.	The Summit of the Col Dolent	"	347
19.	Geological Section of the Matterhorn	"	425
20.	Natural Pinnacles (formed out of an old Moraine) in the Valley of the Durance	"	431
21.	Vertical Section of the Snow on the Col de Valpelline, August 1866 (Folding Plate)		At the end of the Volume.

IN THE TEXT.

		PAGE
1.	Beachy Head	1
2.	The Devil of Notre Dame	2
** 3.	Mules	3
** 4.	A Curé in Difficulties	7
** 5.	Which is the Brute?	8
6.	At the St. Bernard	9
** 7.	"Garibaldi!"	12
* 8.	Briançon	14
9.	Mont Pelvoux from above La Bessée	21
10.	In the Val d'Alefred	23
11.	The Grand Pelvoux de Val Louise	24
12.	Buttresses of Mont Pelvoux	28
* 13.	Portrait of R. J. S. Macdonald	31
14.	Outline to show Route up Mont Pelvoux	33
15.	The Blanket Bag	42
16.	Natural Pillar near Molines	44
** 17.	Crossing Mont Cenis	46
** 18.	The Little Postilion	47
19.	The Centre Rail on a Curve	49
20.	Section of the Fell Railway	49
* 21.	The Covered Ways of the Fell Railway	52
22.	The Centre Rail Break	53
23.	Tubes Conveying the Compressed Air to the Mont Cenis Tunnel, and Joints of the Same	64
24.	Transverse Section of the Mont Cenis Tunnel	65
25.	Cross Section of the Advanced Gallery	70
26.	Longitudinal Section of the End of the Advanced Gallery	71
* 27.	Portrait of J. J. Bennen	86
* 28.	Portrait of Jean-Antoine Carrel	89
29.	The Col du Lion: looking towards the Tête du Lion	91
30.	Diagram to show manner of fastening Tent-poles	100
31.	Alpine Tent	100
32.	Climbing Claw	110
33.	Rope and Ring	111
** 34.	At Breill (Giomein)	122
35.	The Matterhorn from Breil	128
** 36.	"But what is this?"	131
37.	An Arch of the Aqueduct in the Val Tournanche	135
* 38.	Water-worn Rocks in the Gorge below the Gorner Glacier	140
39.	Striations produced by Glacier-action	141
40.	Sections of Roches Moutonnées and Roches Nivelées	144
41.	Diagram of Weathered Rock	151
** 42.	"Carrel lowered me down"	163
* 43.	Portrait of Monsieur Favre	176
* 44.	Crossing the Channel	178
* 45.	Portrait of Michel-Auguste Croz	180
46.	Plan to show Route	183
47.	The Aiguilles d'Arve from above Chalets of Rieu Blanc	185
* 48.	Portrait of Melchior Anderegg	193
49.	Map of the Brèche de la Meije, etc.	195
50.	Diagram to show Angle of Summit of Meije, as seen from La Grave	197
* 51.	The Vallon des Etançons	199
52.	Map of the Central Dauphiné Alps	202
53.	The Pointe des Ecrins from the Col du Galibier	211
54.	Outline to show Route up Pointe des Ecrins	212
55.	Fragment from the Summit of the Pointe des Ecrins	215
** 56.	A Night with Croz	220
** 57.	A Snow Couloir	225
** 58.	Portraits of Mr. Reilly on a wet day	241
59.	Our Camp on Mont Suc	242
60.	Ice-Avalanche on the Moming Pass	258
61.	Facsimile of a Letter from Croz	267
62.	Part of the Southern Ridge of the Grand Cornier	269
63.	Part of the Northern Ridge of the Grand Cornier	270
* 64.	Portrait of Leslie Stephen	274
* 65.	Portrait of T. S. Kennedy	280
66.	Diagrams to show Dip of Strata on the Matterhorn	287
* 67.	My Tent-bearer—The Hunchback	292
* 68.	The Bouquetin	297
69.	A Crétin of Aosta	300
70.	Imaginary Section of a Glacier	333
71.	Quartz-vein	336
72.	My Ice-axe	349
73.	Kennedy Ice-axe	350
74.	Another form of Ice-axe	350
75.	Crampon	351
* 76.	Portrait of Christian Almer	354
* 77.	On the Mer de Glace	355
* 78.	Ice-Pinnacles on the Mer de Glace	356
* 79.	Western Side of the Col de Talèfre	366
** 80.	Glissading	368
** 81.	The Wrong Way to use a Rope on Glacier	374
** 82.	The Right Way to use a Rope on Glacier	375
83.	"Croz! Croz!! Come here"	390
84.	The Summit of the Matterhorn	392
85.	The Actual Summit of the Matterhorn in 1865	395
86.	Rope broken on the Matterhorn	398
* 87.	Portrait of Monsieur Seiler	401
88.	Manilla Rope broken on the Matterhorn	403
89.	The 'Second' Rope broken on the Matterhorn	405
** 90.	The End	408

MAPS.

To be placed at the end of the Volume.

1. General Route Map.

2. The Valley of Zermatt, and the Central Pennine Alps.

3. The Valpelline, the Valtournanche, and the Central Pennine Alps.

4. The Chain of Mont Blanc.

5. The Matterhorn and its Glaciers (In Colours).

The body of the Work is printed by R. Clark, Edinburgh; the separate Plates
have been printed by the Author.

---

errata.

Page 20, line from top, "Col de Lantaret" to read "Col de Lautaret."
Page„ 29, line„ 13-15 from top„ "Pie des Archines" to read„ "Pic de Arcines."
Page„ 45, note† "See Chap. 23" to read„ "See Appendix."
Page„ 147, line 1 from top, "early and coarse" to read„ "early, or a coarse."
Page„ 215, note, "referred to in Chapter xx." to read„ "referred to in Chapter xxi.