Chapter VI

ASCENT OF THE AIGUILLE DU DRU “_Decies repetita placebit_” Disadvantages of narratives of personal adventure—Expeditions on 169 the Aiguille du Dru in 1874—The ridge between the Aiguilles du Dru and Verte—“Défendu de passer par là”—Distance lends enchantment—Other climbers attack the peak—View of the mountain from the Col de Balme—We try the northern side, and fail more signally than usual—Showing that mountain fever is of the recurrent type—We take seats below, but have no opportunity of going up higher—The campaign opens—We go under canvas—A spasmodic start, and another failure—A change of tactics and a new leader—Our sixteenth attempt—Sports and pastimes at Chamouni—The art of cray-fishing—The apparel oft proclaims the man—A canine acquaintance—A new ally—The turning-point of the expedition—A rehearsal for the final performance—A difficult descent—A blank in the narrative—A carriage misadventure—A penultimate failure—We start with two guides and finish with one—The rocks of the Dru—Maurer joins the party—Our nineteenth attempt—A narrow escape in the gully—The arête at last—The final scramble—Our foe is vanquished and decorated—The return journey—Benighted—A moonlight descent—We are graciously received—On “fair” mountaineering—The prestige of new peaks—Chamouni becomes festive—“Heut’ Abend grosses Feuerwerkfest”—Chamouni dances and shows hospitality—The scene closes in CHAPTER VII. BYE-DAYS IN ALPINE MIDLANDS 1. _A Pardonable Digression._ On well-ordered intellects—The drawbacks of accurate memory—Sub-Alpine walks: their admirers and their recommendations—The “High-Level Route”—The Ruinette—An infallible prescription for ill-humour—A climb and a meditation on grass slopes—The agile person’s acrobatic feats—The psychological effects of sunrise—The ascent of the Ruinette—We return to our mutton at Arolla—A vision on the hill-side. 2. _A Little Maiden._ Saas in the olden days—A neglected valley—The mountains drained 236 dry—A curious omission—The Portienhorn, and its good points as a mountain—The chef produces a masterpiece—An undesirable tenement to be let unfurnished—An evicted family—A rapid act of mountaineering—On the pleasures of little climbs—The various methods of making new expeditions on one mountain—On the mountaineer who has nothing to learn, and his consequent ignorance CHAPTER VIII. A SENTIMENTAL ALPINE JOURNEY Long “waits” and entr’actes—The Mont Buet as an unknown 266 mountain—We hire carriages—A digression on a stationary vehicle—A straggling start—The incomplete moralist—The niece to the moralist—A discourse on gourmets—An artistic interlude—We become thoughtful, and reach the height of sentiment and the top of the Mont Buet—Some other members of the party—The mountaineers perform—How glissading ambition did o’erleap itself—A vision on the summit—The moralist leaves us for a while—Entertainment at the Bérard Chalet—View of the Aiguille Verte—The end of the journey CHAPTER IX. A FRAGMENT An unauthentic MS.—Solitude on the mountain: its advantages to 291 the historian of the Alps—A rope walk—The crossing of the Schrund—A novel form of avalanche and an airy situation—A towering obstacle—The issue of the expedition in the balance—A very narrow escape—The final rush—Victory!—The perils of the descent—I plunge _in medias res_—A flying descent