of the nine with a considerable
burthen. One day was occupied in making preparations, on which our
comfort and our ultimate success depended. These were passed in review
in the evening, and having found that nothing material was omitted, an
early hour the next day was appointed for our departure.

Accordingly, on Sunday the 11th of July, we left the village of
Chamouny, at five o'clock, full of anxiety ourselves, and accompanied
by the good wishes of the honest inhabitants for our success. The
necessity of taking advantage of the fine weather, opposed our
delaying another day. Our guides, who in common with all the
inhabitants of the mountainous parts of Savoy, are very attentive to
the duties of their religion, were unwilling to set out on a church
day, without having previously attended service. They had, therefore,
induced the Cure to celebrate mass at three o'clock, and,
notwithstanding the fatigue they expected during the day, the early
hour had not prevented them from attending it.

We descended the valley by the side of the Arva, about a league, till
we approached the glacier of Boissons, and then turning suddenly to
the left into the woods, we began immediately a very steep ascent,
parallel to, and about a half mile from the edge of the glacier. After
about three hours toilsome mounting, we came to the last house on our
road. It was the highest dwelling in the neighbourhood, and was one of
those cottages called "Chalets," which are inhabited only during three
of the summer months, when the peasants drive their cattle from the
plains below, to the then richer verdure of the mountains. We found
there the old man and his two daughters; his wife, as is the custom,
was left behind to take care of the house in the valley. After
refreshing ourselves with a delicious draught of fresh milk, and
receiving the wishes of these good people, for a 'bon voyage,' we bade
adieu to all traces of man, and continued to mount. Another hour's
toil brought us above the region of wood, after which the few stinted
vegetables we met with, gradually diminished in size, and when we
arrived, at 10 o'clock, at the upper edge of the glacier of Boissons,
only a few mosses, and the most hardy alpine plants were to be found.

We had been compelled a little before, by the precipices of the
Aiguille du Midi, which presented themselves like a wall before us, to
change our direction, and instead of proceeding parallel to the
glacier, to strike of